Together
by Ultrawoman
Summary: COMPLETE (Chapters 19 & 20 added) Can anyone be happy with second best? Chlark, Leana, Chlex, Clana [Please R&R]
1. Chapter 1

A/N : I'm surprised that I can bear to write my two favourite characters with anyone other than each other, but somehow it has happened. Don't worry, Chlex will come, eventually, but it starts out un-Chlexy (if that's a word, lol)  
This is my version of what could have happened during and after the final episode of season one, if the tempest had never hit Smallville...  
  
Title : Together (1/?)  
Author : Ultrawoman  
Rating : PG-13  
Spoilers : Season 1 (esp. Tempest)  
Disclaimer : All characters belong to DC Comics and/or the WB of which I am not a part.  
Summary : Can anyone be happy with second best?

Chapter 1

The strains of the Remy Zero song 'Perfect Memory' floated in the air as Clark and Chloe swayed together. Their attention was fixed solely on each other and the melody of Chloe's favourite song.

"I'm glad you asked me to be your date tonight Clark" she said, barely above a whisper.

"I'm only sorry I made you wait" he replied, just as softly.

"That's okay" she smiled, "you were worth the wait"

He leaned down and placed his lips on hers in the softest of kisses and yet it made her whole body feel electrified.

"I love you, Chloe" he told her as he pulled away a little.

"I love you too Clark" she sighed, going further into his arms. He held her close and they continued to rock to the music, their hearts beating a little faster than they had before and their faces both smiling.

Lana sat in the empty Talon. There was no point opening tonight. Any one who was anyone as far as Smallville High alumni was concerned, was at the Spring Formal, which explained why Lana herself wasn't there.

She wasn't anyone special, not anymore. She had given up cheerleading and lost some of her friends. She'd lost her boyfriend, Whitney, to the military and worst of all she had lost Clark. He had been a good friend to Lana and, in a way, her safety net, in case anything went wrong, especially if anything went wrong between herself and Whitney. But now, Chloe had been the reason for the removal of that safety net, so when things went wrong, Lana kept falling, with nothing between her and the inevitable pain but thin air.

She sobbed into her hands as she sat alone on a stool by the counter of the Talon. She saw herself being lonely forever - no parents, no friends, no boyfriends - apart from Aunt Nell who was there?

"Lana?"

A voice from across the darkened room made her turn suddenly - a man's voice - the voice of her business partner.

"Lex?" she answered, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand and sniffing loudly, as he came closer to her, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question" he replied with a smile, before noticing her sadness, "Hey" he sat down on the stool beside her, "What's wrong?" he asked her, resting his arm on the counter behind her.

"Oh nothing" Lana waved away his sympathy.

"Lana" he said, seriously, "I know real pain and tears when I see it. I've had enough of my own over the years"

"I'm just being silly" she sighed, not daring to look at him as he handed her a handkerchief, "Thanks" she nodded, blowing her nose, "It's just..." she started.

"It's just, what?" he prompted.

"Well, do you ever just feel like you're so alone?" she asked.

"Lana" he smirked, "Think about who you're talking to"

She realised the absurdity of her question then. Of course Lex knew of loneliness, of pain and of tears. He was the prince of the most dysfunctional family of them all - a handsome prince though, Lana's subconscious told her.

"I'm sorry" she said, sincerely, but he just smiled at her.

"It's not your fault a large proportion of my life sucks" he told her. She giggled at his tone and choice of words.

"That's better" he smiled genuinely. "You know you'd be quite pretty if you stop crying"

She blushed at that and he had the good grace not to stare at her too much. She was used to hearing such things from guys at school but not from a man, not a man like Lex Luthor.

"So" he said after a moment of silence, "I'm guessing the tears are for a certain quarterback who's left our quaint little corner of Kansas to go fight for uncle Sam?"

"Partly, yes" Lana admitted, "But you wanna hear something completely crazy?"

"I think that's more Chloe's territory" Lex smiled, "but tell me anyway"

Lana took a deep breath before explaining.

"I was going to break up with Whitney weeks ago"

Lex was a little surprised by the revelation. Although he suspected something between Lana and Clark and hoped it was true for his friends sake, he had no idea that Lana really would've dumped the football player to go out with the farmboy.

"Why didn't you?" Lex was curious to know.

"His Dad" she said simply and Lex understood. He knew what it was like to lose a parent that you loved so dearly and could sympathise with the pain Whitney must have felt. Lana had done a good thing by being there for him at a time like that.

"But now he's gone" the billionaire thought aloud, "so what happens next?" he ventured to ask.

"I don't know" the girl sighed, fiddling with the material in her hands and not looking at the man next to her at all. Even so, she knew that his eyes never left her, he was watching her every move.

"I had thought..." she continued, "...but..." she couldn't even speak about it as tears took over again.

"Clark?" Lex guessed, she only nodded in response, unable to do anything else as a fresh wave of tears took her voice and fierce sobs shook through her whole body.

Lex lifted his arm and placed it around her shoulders

"C'mon" he said, soothingly, "it's going to be okay"

Lana found herself leaning into the man's embrace, resting her head on his chest, as he brought his other arm up around her and held her tight.

Unrequited love was tough, Lex knew that. He had seen Clark watch Lana from afar wishing she loved him the way he did her. In turn he had seen Chloe, smitten over Clark, but trying to bury those feelings as best she could, behind snark and the occasional angry explosion. And then there was the billionaire himself, who, for a while now, had seen a quality, a kind of magic, a something in the blonde reporter girl that was different. Something he liked and thought perhaps he could love, and then maybe she could love him too, but it was not to be. So now, whilst Chloe's dreams came true and Clark seemed perfectly happy, the fairytale wishes of Lex and Lana were falling apart before their eyes.

A/N : Please review and I'll update soon.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N : Thanx to everYours and jdburns for the reviews. Here's the second chapter...

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 2

"This has been the best night of my life" Chloe spoke softly to Clark as they stood by the fence outside his house. The modern woman had driven her boyfriend home and she was only to pleased to finally be able to give Clark the title of 'boyfriend'.

"Mine too" he smiled in agreement, "Chloe, I only wish I..." he began but she placed her fingers on his lips to silence him.

"I know" she told him, "but it's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault really. I guess it's true what they say - love is blind" she smiled. He smiled back down at her as she moved to wrap her arms around his neck. His hands rested on her waist.

"And you do know that I love you?" he checked.

"Yes" she answered, breathlessly, "and I love you too. More than you'll ever know"

That was the last words spoken as his lips covered hers and as far as this couple were concerned, nothing else in the world existed, just them, and the moon, and the stars, and their love for each other.

"I'm sorry" Lana whispered in the silence.

"What for?" Lex wondered aloud. Lana pushed herself back a little so she could look up into his face, whilst his arms stayed firmly around her body.

"For burdening you with my problems" she answered "You must have enough of your own"

Lex sighed.

"Business is always a problem, especially where my father is concerned, but social problems...I don't really have any of those" he lied blatantly, but Lana did not see the truth beyond it. Years of practice meant the young Luthor had perfected the art of concealing his true emotions, but that didn't mean he felt them any the less.

"You're lucky" Lana smiled a little.

"Maybe" he answered, "although sometimes I think life might be easier, better even, if I had someone to share it with..." he trailed off when he realised what he was saying and who he was saying to.

He looked back down at her red-rimmed eyes. The brightness had gone from them tonight, and yet he still saw beauty there. Not the outer beauty which was evident to all but an inner beauty that came straight from her soul. His stare intensified as did hers, until finally the few tiny inches between them was closed and their lips made contact. A sweet, tender kiss that grew more urgent until the time came when they both needed to breathe.

"Lana..." Lex began, planning to apologise for taking advantage of her and this situation but he didn't get the chance, as she forced her lips against his for a second time, a third, a fourth. They both needed someone to comfort them and they found this comfort in each others arms.

"I think I should go now" Chloe breathed as she and Clark pulled back for air, their foreheads touching and their bodies still close.

"I guess so" he agreed, but he didn't want to let go of her, not now and not ever.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" she said in a quiet voice that was very unlike her.

"Of course" he replied, in a similarly soft tone.

She slipped out of his arms then and began to walk back to her car, feeling as if she were floating a foot above the ground. Clark watched her climb in and wave to him, before driving away. For a moment after she had gone he just stood by the gate, looking up at the near full moon in the inky black sky.

Tonight really had been a perfect night, and not just for Chloe, for him too but there was a part of him that couldn't help but wonder what Lana was doing now. Whitney had left just a few hours ago. Would Lana be okay about that? Would she be upset? A part of him wanted to go to her right then and there, but it was past midnight and that was a ridiculous idea. He glanced one final time at the starry sky before smiling at the glowing moon and thanking the higher forces for the wonderful night he'd had, and asking them to find a way to make Lana happy somehow.

A/N : If you're reading this, please review, and I'll post again soon.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N : Thanx for the reviews so far; Pinellas62, moonmaid, everYours, Lucky Songs - glad you like the story so far. To Pinellas62 - sorry if the chapters are a little short and the whole point of the last part of chapter 2 was to show that Clark, although he cares for Chloe, still feels something for Lana.

Anyway,here's chapter 3...

(Disclaimer : see chapter 1)

Chapter 3

Clark stood outside of the Talon, wondering what he was going to say when he went inside. Lana had just lost her love as Clark had found his, at least that was how it seemed. Clark wasn't sure what to expect as he pushed the front door open and went inside, but he had to face his friend some time.

"Hey Lana" he smiled, walking up to the counter. He was pleasantly surprised when she looked up from the plate of muffins she was arranging him and gave him a bright smile.

"Hi Clark, how are you?" she asked him as he took a seat at the counter.

"I'm good actually" he admitted "how about you? Did Whitney get off okay?" he asked, before inwardly cringing. Probably not the best question to ask, but she didn't seem to mind at all.

"Yeah, he was fine" she said, looking back at the counter and not at her friend for a moment "How was the dance?" she asked suddenly.

"It was great" he told her "everything was...perfect" he said, smiling sort of dreamily, as he remembered dancing to Chloe's favourite song and then later, what had happened when she'd dropped him off at his house.

"That's good" Lana smiled fakely, but Clark didn't notice as another girl breezed into the cafe.

"Clark!" the blonde called as she bounded up to the counter.

"Hey Chloe" he grinned, giving her a peck on the cheek as she sat down, Lana shifted uncomfortably but neither of them seemed to notice.

"Hi Lana" said Chloe, noticing the other girl at last.

"Hi Chloe, I hear you had a great time at the dance last night" Lana smiled as sweetly as she could, repeating in her mind 'I am not jealous, I am not jealous'.

"Oh yeah, you should've been there" Chloe gushed, in a way that was very unlike her. She looked over at Clark "It was a wonderful night"

"Well, I'm sure you guys can fill me in on what I missed" said Lana, but the couple barely noticed as they caught each others eyes.

"Oh, sure" Clark answered, finally realising there were people in the room other than Chloe. "So what did you do last night anyway?"

The brunette looked away and mumbled.

"I took Whitney to the bus station then I came here...did some tidying..." 

Just at that moment Lex Luthor strode into the coffee shop and Lana couldn't stand it. She fought against the colour she felt rising in her cheeks and knew she had to get away "...excuse me, I need to do...something, out back" she said as she retreated.

"She's very edgy this morning" Chloe noticed. Clark looked thoughtful.

"Probably because of Whitney" he guessed.

"Maybe..." Chloe agreed but she had her suspicions that something else was going on. She turned on her stool and saw Lex enter. "Good morning Mr Luthor" she smiled.

"Good morning Miss Sullivan" he responded, before adding "but do you think you could maybe call me Lex because Mr Luthor just makes me sound like my father"

"Sure" Chloe smiled.

"Thankyou, Chloe" he smiled too and emphasised her name. There was something about the way he smiled then that made the girl feel quite strange. If she hadn't have been so head over heels for Clark she would've thought it was...no.

"What's up Lex?" Clark greeted his friend with a grin but Lex stopped smiling as soon as the question was asked.

"Nothing really, why should anything be up?" the bald billionaire shifted uncomfortably, annoyed that someone might have noticed.

"No reason you just seem a little, I don't know, tense" Clark tried.

"I'm fine, Clark" his friend said, coolly.

"Okay..." Clark let the subject drop, unwilling to start an argument with his best friend. "So is this a business call or a pleasure trip?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Er, I need to see Lana" he said quickly, not really answering the question one way or the other "Is she out back?" he gestured beyond the counter.

"Yeah, she had to go do...'something', apparently" Chloe told him, remembering Lana's strange behaviour.

"Okay thanks" he nodded, swinging around the edge of the counter and heading toward the back of the shop. "By the way" he said turning back for a second "how did last night go?"

"It was...good" Clark smiled, and Chloe blushed, letting Lex know things had been more than just 'good' for his two friends.

"Good" he smiled too "I'll see you two later" he added, hurrying into the back.

A/N : Reviews are always welcomed and craved! I'll update again soon.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N : Sorry about the slow updates. To make up for that I actually have two chapters for you today! Thanx to moonmaid and everYours for the reviews of chapter three. Here is chapter four and five...

(Disclaimer, etc : see chapter 1)

Chapter 4

"What is wrong with everyone this morning?" Chloe frowned a little as she thought about but Lex and Lana's strange behaviour.

"What do you mean?" her boyfriend clearly didn't understand and Chloe laughed.

"Clark, as much as I love you, you're not the most observant guy on the planet, are you?"

Clark didn't answer, assuming the question was rhetorical. 

"Lex and Lana were both edgy and acting kinda strange" Chloe pondered, "do you think that something happened with those two last night"

"Lex and Lana?" Clark obviously found the idea of his best friend dating the girl he used to think he was in love with to be utterly ridiculous.

"Well, yeah, Lana was really uncomfortable when we asked her what she did last night" Chloe pointed out "and she couldn't wait to get out back when Lex came in" she counted the second point on her fingers and then a third as she said "then he acts all weird and hurries back there to find Lana"

"I know they were acting a little off, but those two dating or something? That's just not possible" Clark shook his head, but Chloe was determined that she was right.

"Clark, you should know by now that in this leafy little hamlet, anything is possible" 

He continued to look dubiously at her and it was beginning to get annoying.

"C'mon, put two and two together and you might just get four!" she urged, which made Clark laugh a little.

"I think you may have got five..." he smiled.

"Clark, trust me, something happened between those two last night, I don't know exactly what it was, but I have a pretty good idea" she tried to tell him.

"How do you know?" he just wasn't convinced.

"I'm a reporter, I have instincts, I just know these things" she told him as she hopped down from her stool and moved around the counter.

"What are you doing?" he said, also getting up.

"I'm gonna go see what's happening" she told him honestly.

"Chloe, you can't spy on our friends" he was a little less shocked by her actions than he pretended to be, but he did have morals.

"Why not?" she wanted to know coming back toward him with her hands on her hips.

"Because it's wrong" he told her as if it were obvious, which of course it would be to anyone other than Chloe.

"A lot of things are wrong Clark" she said, moving closer to him "doesn't mean they don't feel right..." she almost whispered, inches from his lips. He got the point.

"Just one quick look" he conceded.

"Of course" she smiled, sweetly, grabbing his hand and pulling him round the counter behind her.

Lana heard movement behind her and she turned to see a man framed in the doorway to the back room.

"Lex" she said, trying not to be nervous "did you want something?"

"I think we need to talk" he said, coming further into the room.

"About what?" she asked innocently, backing away a little.

"Lana, you know what" he said seriously and he was right, she did know.

"Look, I know what you're going to say..." she sighed, looking in every direction except at the man she was talking to.

"I don't think you do..." he started, but he was not allowed to finish.

"Well, let me guess" Lana interrupted, "'Lana you're a nice girl and everything but last night was wrong. We shouldn't have kissed and I just want us to be friends'. Was that accurate?" she asked, tilting her head a little.

"No, actually it wasn't" he said, slowly, making her eyes go wide "Maybe that's what I should say, but I can't" he admitted, taking a step forward. This time she didn't back off.

"Why not?" she asked, a little suspiciously.

"Because it would be a lie" he told her honestly "I'm glad last night happened and I think there could be something between us"

Lana shook her head a little as if it would help her to understand.

"What are you telling me?" she asked, glancing from the floor to his face and back.

"I'm telling you this" he whispered, lifting her chin and kissing her soundly.

"Woah, well, that's not quite what I expected to see" Chloe giggled from outside the door. She thought something was going on but she had not expected to see Lex and Lana 'making out' for want of a better phrase.

"Do we have to watch this?" Clark shifted uncomfortably behind her.

"I guess we shouldn't really..." Chloe admitted, a little uncomfortable herself, but not entirely sure why "let's get out of here" she said turning to leave and catching her foot in the handle of a metal bucket, obviously left there for the purpose of mopping the floors.

"Whoops" was all she could think of to say as Clark caught her and the loud clang caught the attention of the kissing couple who sharply parted and looked over at the blonde and her counterpart.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt..." Clark rambled.

"Are you two lost?" Lex inquired smoothly, a slight smirk on his face.

"Er, no, we were just..." Chloe couldn't think of an excuse so Clark finished her sentence for her.

"Leaving! We were just leaving!" he said, practically dragging his reporter girlfriend from the embarrassing scene. As they hurried away, Lana sighed.

"You do realise everyone is going to know about this now" she said with a slightly worried expression.

"Do you care?" Lex wanted to know and she looked thoughtful before answering.

"I don't know"

She perched herself on the edge of the table and he moved to sit beside her.

"Lana, I won't take advantage of you" he promised, taking hold of her hand "I just want to be with you"

She turned to look at him and found his face was a lot closer to hers than she thought.

"Lex..." she spoke his name in a whisper before their lips met again, giving him her answer in the only way she could.

Out in the main part of the Talon, Clark and Chloe moved back around the counter, hand in hand.

"So, now the spying is over, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Clark asked her with a smile.

"How about we head over to that fortress of yours" his girlfriend suggested with a mischievous grin, "and have a little 'back-room fun' of our own"

Clark blushed a little and smiled.

"Well, I'm not going to say no to that..."

A/N : Keep reading - chapter five is already up...


	5. Chapter 5

A/N : Long-ish chapter and its now a week later...

(Disclaimer, etc. : see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

A week had passed since the Spring Formal - the infamous night when Chloe and Clark, and Lana and Lex, had officially become couples. In that week the weather had deteriorated and the rain had become more of a normality than the sun. Clark had been running a few errands in town for his Mom when another heavy shower started so he sought refuge from the elements in the Talon.

He went straight up to the counter where Lana was filling cups and glasses with various hot and cold beverages. As he walked over she looked up but he was disappointed not to see her almost trademark bright smile.

"What's the matter?" he asked, without even bothering to say hello. He knew something was wrong just in the few seconds he had been in the room.

"Oh its nothing" she shrugged, but he knew there was something and she knew from the look on his face that he wasn't going to let it drop til she told him, in that respect he was very much like Chloe. 

Lana sighed as she put down the coffee pot in her hand.

"It's just, well, Lex's birthday is in two weeks and he seems to have everything already! I never knew gift shopping could be so difficult" she explained as she filled a tray with cups.

"Can I help?" her friend offered. Maybe she just needed a guy's perspective on gifts.

"What I really wanted to do was go to Metropolis and look in the shops there but Nell's busy and I've got no transport" the girl complained, carrying the tray she had just filled over to a nearby table. Clark followed her.

"How about I take you?" he offered.

"Clark, that's a very sweet" she smiled now, "but I couldn't ask you to do that" she said as she brought the now empty tray back to the counter and put it down.

"You didn't ask" he told her "I offered"

They both sat down on two stools for a moment.

"Wouldn't Chloe mind?" the raven-haired girl asked, not able to look at Clark when she said it.

"Why would she?" the boy shrugged "I'm taking you to the shops in Metropolis it's not like we're going on a date" he found he couldn't say the word 'date' to her without blushing.

Lana giggled.

"What's funny?" he asked her, hoping she hadn't noticed if he'd gone red.

"This will be our second non-date, won't it?" she pointed out, remembering the day when she and Clark planned to go to a concert in Metropolis. Lex had leant them a limo and even supplied the tickets, but they'd never actually made it out of town as Clark ran off to save Chloe from a heat sucking freak called Sean.

"Yeah, I guess it will" smiled Clark, obviously remembering too "Although it'll have to be the truck this time because I can't afford a limo" he grinned.

"The truck is fine" she smiled "So when do you want to go?"

"Saturday is good for me. I can get my chores done early and I'm pretty sure Dad wont need the truck all day" said Clark.

"Saturday it is" Lana nodded as she stood up again "Pick me up from here at ten o'clock?"

"Sure" he agreed, before adding "I think the rain's easing off now so I'd better get home"

He got up and moved toward the door but suddenly turned back when he heard Lana call his name.

"What?"

"Don't tell Lex about this" she asked him "He wouldn't like it if he knew I'd gone to so much trouble because of him"

"Okay, no problem" Clark nodded as he left "See you later Lana"

"Goodbye Clark" she called behind him as he walked out the door.

"Damn this stupid weather!" 

Chloe Sullivan cursed the sky for deciding to drop the contents of its clouds on her. She was having trouble with her car so she'd decided to walk from her house to Clarks. Although rain had been the general forecast, the sky had been clear when she set off, but now she was half way between home and the farm and she was soaked and annoyed.

"Miss Sullivan" a voice called to her from a nearby car and she swung round to see Lex Luthor's Porsche just behind her. He drove up beside her and stopped.

"Mr Luthor" she greeted him, sweeping the wet hair from her eyes.

He glanced up and down her figure. She was absolutely soaked through with rain water, her make-up running down her cheeks and her clothes sticking to her body.

"You wanna ride?" he asked her, but surprisingly she shook her head.

"No that's okay" she said quickly, "I don't want to spoil your leather interiors" she smiled, before turning and walking away. The young Luthor jumped out of his car and caught her arm.

"And I don't want to leave you out here to die of pneumonia" he told her, "So please, get in the car"

She smiled and nodded as she walked around to the other side of the car. He went with her and opened the car door.

"Thankyou" she said politely, as she slid into the passenger seat. Lex jogged round to the drivers side and got in beside her. He didn't drive away immediately, instead he turned to speak to the soaked blonde.

"What are you doing out walking in this weather, Miss Sullivan?" he inquired.

Chloe rubbed both hands across her face, forcing hair out of her eyes and ruined mascara off of her cheeks.

"It's Chloe" she told him, "and it wasn't raining when I left the house" she explained.

He reached into the back for a bag, pulled out a towel and handed it to her. She looked at him with a certain amount of disbelief.

"I'm always prepared for every eventuality" he answered her without her even needing to ask the question, "Ex-boy scout" he smirked.

She laughed at that.

"Lex Luthor the boy scout" she giggled, "Nope, I'm sorry but that just doesn't sound right"

He laughed too, finding this girls own laughter to be infectious. 

Chloe wiped her face and dried her hands and hair with the provided towel as Lex started up the car.

"So, I'm guessing you were going to Clark's ?" he checked as he drove off.

"Yes" she told him, "but I'm not so sure I want to looking like this" she added as she looked down at her more or less ruined clothes and ran her hand through her tangled hair.

"Tell you what" the billionaire started, "I was going to call in at Clark's anyway after I'd been back to the mansion. So how about you come to the house with me and clean up, then I can take us both to see Clark"

"Oh, I don't want to impose" she said hurriedly, but he smiled.

"You're not imposing" he told her, "I'd be glad of the company anyway"

"The company?" Chloe echoed, "Lex, you live your life surrounded by people - workers, servants, butlers, security men..." she counted them off on her fingers.

"It's not the same Chloe" he said, feeling inwardly warm when she used his first name, "It's not the same as friends and family"

"You think of me as your friend?" the girl asked, a little embarrassed.

"Of course" he answered, "any friend, or girlfriend, of Clark's is a friend of mine" he explained.

Chloe didn't answer. She would have liked Lex to have thought of her as a friend because of herself and not because of Clark. She wasn't sure why it bothered her so much, but it really did.

The rest of the journey to the Luthor Mansion passed in silence and apart from giving her directions to a bathroom, not much was said at the house either until Lex asked her what she was going to do about her clothes.

"There's nothing much I can do" she shrugged, "I don't have anything else to put on" At that Lex wandered off and Chloe was more than a little surprised when he returned carrying a pair of women's trousers, a blouse, a jacket and a pair of shoes.

"You can wear these" he announced, handing them to her, "I hope they fit"

She looked at Lex, the clothes in her hands and then back at him. She didn't understand.

"Don't look at me like that Chloe" he smiled, "they're not mine"

"Oh, I didn't think..." she began to lie.

"I know what you thought" he told her, "These were my mothers"

"Oh Lex, I can't wear your mothers clothes" she said, handing them back to him.

"Yes you can" he said, forcing the pile of things back at her, "you can't keep those on" he told her, gesturing at the outfit she was wearing, "you'll make yourself sick walking around in wet clothes"

She smiled widely at him. This must be the nice side to Lex Luthor that Clark, and recently Lana, had told her about. Not that Chloe ever thought Lex was a bad person, she certainly had no reason to as he'd always been polite to her, but he had a reputation or rather his father did, so it was a general consensus in the town of Smallville that all Luthors were trouble. However, Chloe was coming to the conclusion that Lex and Lionel were not alike at all. In fact, the younger Luthor was someone she wouldn't mind getting to know better.

"Thankyou" she said simply, accepting he was right. She turned and went into the bathroom with a smile on her face, as he walked away down the corridor, with a similar smile on his.

A/N : Please review and I will try to update faster. Sometimes real life can be so annoying when it gets in the way of fanfic...


	6. Chapter 6

A/N : Thanx to my faithful readers and reviewers of this story, moonmaid and everYours. The Chlex and Clana is on its way, honestly.

(Disclaimer : see chapter 1)

Chapter 6

Clark heard a squeal of tyres and came out of the house to see Lex and Chloe climb out of Lex's car.

"Hey I was just about to call you" he called to her and she walked over to him, smiling widely.

"Well now you don't need to" she said, hugging him, "What's up?" she asked, noticing a slightly worried look on his face.

"Nothing, really, I just, I need to tell you something" he mumbled.

"Okay..." Chloe waited but Clark didn't say anything "Come on Clark, I'm your girlfriend, you can tell me anything" she told him.

He grinned at that.

"I know and I want you to know that I'm really glad you're my girlfriend" he smiled, still holding her, "But, wait until Lex has gone" he whispered. Chloe didn't understand but she also wasn't going to argue, so she just nodded as Lex walked up beside the couple.

"Hi Clark" he smiled.

"Hey Lex" his friend greeted him, "What's up?"

"I've been having a pretty busy day" he said with a smirk, "saving damsels in distress really takes it out of you"

Clark glanced between his friends and his girlfriend suspiciously.

"I got caught in the rain" Chloe explained, "Lex drove me to his house to clean up, hence the outfit" she said, spreading her arms and turning slowly for Clark to see, "and then he brought me here"

Clark smiled.

"I did wonder about those clothes" he admitted, "you look nice though" he told her, "very..." now what was the word he wanted.

"Elegant" Lex finished for him and Chloe looked at him, surprised by what he'd said.

"Yes" Clark agreed, "Whose clothes are they?"

"They were my mothers, Clark" Lex explained, "but I think they suit our friend Miss Sullivan very well" he smiled at the girl and she blushed a little.

"Thankyou, Mr Luthor" she said, playing along, but the little game was forced to end when Lex's cell phone rang into life. He excused himself and took the call.

A moment later he came back over to where Chloe and Clark were standing and apologised for his short visit, but said he had to go to a business meeting immediately.

"No problem" Clark assured his friend, "I'll catch up with you later"

Chloe thanked Lex for his help and the clothes and he said it was no problem and that he would have her own clothes sent to her house once they were clean and dry.

As the Porsche disappeared into the distance, Chloe turned to her boyfriend.

"Now, what did you want to tell me that you couldn't say in front of Lex?"

Clark looked away and then back at her. He took hold of her hand and they walked together around to the barn.

"Now, please don't be mad..." he started.

"Oh God, I'm not going to like this..." Chloe winced and closed her eyes to guard from the pain she expected to come.

"I said I'd take Lana to Metropolis on Saturday because she's got no transport and she needs to buy a birthday present for Lex and its not a date I'm just helping her out by driving her to the shops in the truck" he rushed out. Chloe blinked and shook her head slightly.

"Wow, that was a lot of information in a short space of time" she laughed lightly, "So what's the problem?" she asked, confused.

"You don't mind that I'm taking Lana to Metropolis?" he asked, pleasantly surprised. 

"Of course not, Clark" she giggled, stopping and turning to look at him, "I trust you. I know you'd never deliberately hurt me or betray me because you're a good guy. That's why I love you" she said seriously, wondering to herslef why she didn't feel the pain she had expected to feel.

"I love you too" he smiled, leaning down to kiss her. Their lips met only briefly as Pete came round the corner and almost walked right into the couple.

"Hey, and how are Smallville High's latest and greatest couple" he asked, grinning.

"Well, we'd be a lot better if certain people had better timing!" Chloe joked.

"Did I interrupt..." Pete began but he didn't even need to finish the question. Both Clark and Chloe's expression told him he had interrupted and that the intrusion was definitely unwelcome.

"Sorry" he said, honestly.

"Doesn't matter" Chloe laughed at Pete's embarrassment.

"Did you want something Pete?" Clark asked him.

"Just wondered if you were busy, but now I see you are" he smiled, glancing between his two friends, "I'll leave"

"You don't have to" Chloe told him.

"I know" her friend replied, "but there are certain things this guy would rather be doing than spectate at the Clark and Chloe love-fest"

Both his friends laughed at that and Pete turned to leave.

"Catch you two love-birds later" he called over his shoulder as he left.

"See you later, Pete" they called behind him.

Clark pulled the truck into the farm and parked it. He had just taken Chloe home after a rather enjoyable afternoon spent just walking and talking and kissing and being together. The weather had turned again and the rain was really coming down, so Clark used his super-speed to run from the truck to the farmhouse.

"Thanks Dad" he said as he came through the door, throwing the keys to his father.

Jonathan smiled to his son.

"I'm guessing from the grin on your face, you had a good afternoon"

Clark blushed as he replied.

"Yes thanks" then he remembered something, "Oh, it's okay if I borrow the truck on Saturday isn't it? I need to go to Metropolis"

"What are you going to Metropolis for, honey?" his mother asked as she came through from the living room.

"I said I'd take Lana shopping for a birthday gift for Lex" he explained.

"I guess that'd be okay" Jonathan nodded, "so long as you do your chores before you go"

"Sure, Dad" Clark grinned. 

Just at that moment an announcement came over the radio which up until then had been playing music.

'This is an important weather warning...' an announcer began, and Martha moved to turn up the volume, 'anyone travelling in the Smallville and Metropolis area should take care this weekend as the rain looks set to continue. There is the possibility in the rural areas of floods, storms and even landslides. Please be careful out there. Now back to our music marathon...'

"Actually, maybe you shouldn't go" Martha told him.

Clark rolled his eyes.

"Mom, it's me" he pointed out, "nothing can happen to me and I won't let anything happen to Lana. I'm a careful driver and if the weather gets really bad we'll come straight back, okay?"

His parents glanced at each other.

"Okay" Jonathan conceded, "Just be careful son"

"As always" their son grinned.

A/N : Keep reviewing please and I'll be back with the next chapter soon.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N : Thanx to moonmaid, everYours, Lissette247, WiliminaWonderOne, Matt, ryonan girl, for the reviews on chapter six. I'd just like to say that, about the pairings, if you've read my stuff before then you know who I ship, if you don't, well then I guess it'll be a nice surprise!

(For disclaimer,etc : see chapter 1)

Chapter 7

"Ready to go?" Clark said as he entered the Talon.

Lana nodded and smiled as she came around from behind the counter.

"Looks like the weather isn't going to get any better" she remarked as they came to the door.

"No, looks pretty bad" Clark agreed, "but the truck is just there" he pointed through the glass of the door, "if we run we shouldn't get too wet"

"On the count of three" Lana giggled, "One, two, three!" she yelled as they ran out of the door and splashed their way to the truck. Clark did the gentlemanly thing and opened the passenger door for his friend. She climbed in and he closed the door before going round to the other side and climbing in himself.

Lana ran her hands through her hair, trying to get the majority of it out of her face.

"You think we'll be okay, Clark?" she asked him, but he wasn't really listening. He just watched as she pushed her hair around and settled into the seat of the truck.

"Clark?" she repeated his name and it seemed to bring him back to the land of the living.

"Sorry, what?" 

"Do you think we'll be safe driving to Metropolis in this weather?" Lana asked again.

"It'll be fine" he assured her, starting up the truck and pulling away. It worried him slightly that he'd been so transfixed by this girl again. Not only was it wrong because he was with Chloe now, but Lana was dating Lex. His best friend and the guy they were going shopping for was dating this girl who made him forget what day of the week it was every time he looked at her. 'I'm a horrible person' he thought to himself, 'I love Chloe and Lex loves Lana, just focus on that' 

His thoughts were interrupted as Lana leant over to turn on the radio. She brushed her hand over Clark's knee unintentionally, making him flinch. He noticed she didn't go near the radio again after that - had she felt something to? He dare not even think about it. The rest of the trip passed smoothly and fairly quietly except for the background music from the radio and the patter of the rain on the windows of the truck.

"Coming!" Chloe called when she heard the doorbell ring. Clark had taken Lana to Metropolis so she had decided to spend the day working on the latest edition of the Torch. She was half way through an article when she had heard the doorbell and with her Dad doing overtime at the plant, she was forced to abandon her computer to answer the door. She ran down the stairs from her room and flung open the front door, only to see Lex Luthor standing there, the rain falling so hard it was bouncing off his shoulders.

"Lex" she said, surprised to see him.

"Can I come in?" he asked her and without hesitation she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside, closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, not understanding at all.

"I decided since I had a little time to spare I'd bring back your clothes" he smiled as he reached under his coat and produced her now clean and dry outfit and shoes.

"Oh, thanks" she smiled too now, before remembering something "Oh, I have your mothers clothes but I haven't had time to wash them yet. I guessed I'd need to get them dry-cleaned and I just haven't got round to it yet..."

"Chloe" he interrupted her, mid-ramble, "It's fine, you can keep the clothes"

"Oh no, I couldn't do that" she told him, completely embarrassed.

"Really" he insisted, "It's fine, it's not as if I need them for anything"

There was a moments silence before he spoke again.

"Anyway, I have to go. I need to see Clark and then..."

"You can't see Clark, he's in Metropolis" she interrupted as he made for the door. He turned sharply.

"What's he doing there?" Lex asked, suspiciously. Why would the farmboy be going into the city?

"Well..." Chloe started, before realising it was supposed to be a secret that Lana had gone to get a birthday gift for the billionaire, "he, er..." For the first time in her life, Chloe couldn't think of a cover story.

"Is there a problem Miss Sullivan" Lex asked with a smirk as Chloe put her hand to her head and cursed.

"Okay, Clark has taken Lana to Metropolis to buy you a birthday gift but you weren't supposed to know about it and if they find out I told you..."

"Don't worry" he cut her off and laid his hand on her shoulder, "I won't tell on you"

There was another silent moment whilst his hand remained on her shoulder and then he turned back and said he really did have to leave.

"Oh well, thanks for bringing back my clothes" said Chloe as she opened the front door again "and for allowing me to keep the others, its very kind of you"

"Your very welcome, Chloe" he smiled, a very real smile that Chloe was sure she'd never seen before, before he walked out and headed for his car.

Chloe closed the door and ran to the window to watch the tail lights of the Porsche, distorted by the rain on the glass, disappear into the distance.

A/N : If you read, please review, so I know if you still like it, and I'll post again soon.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N : Thanx to everYours, Pinellas62 and moonmaid for the latest reviews. Here's the next two chapters.

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 8

"I'm sorry, Clark" Lana sighed, "I guess I'm just not very good at choosing gifts for guys"

The pair had already been in half the suitable shops in Metropolis looking for a birthday gift that Lana could give Lex but it was more complicated than they thought. They walked together along a row of stores, sheltered from the heavy rain by the awnings pertruding from the front of most of said stores.

"It's okay" her friend assured her, "we still have time. Lets try in here" he suggested, entering an expensive looking gift store. 

Glass cabinets displayed items of silver and gold and crystal. Decanters, lighters, jewellery and similar such gifts designed for men and women with great taste and high incomes.

"I think I might be out of my depth in here" Lana smiled, noticing the price tags on the items around her.

"Maybe" Clark smiled too, "We can still look though"

Lana agreed to that as she spotted a display of elegant ladies jewellery on the far side of the store. She wandered over and her attention was caught by a beautiful ring set with a cluster of emeralds. Clark saw what she was looking at.

"At that price, I doubt they're meteor rocks" he said quietly and Lana giggled.

"No, I don't think so" she replied, "It is beautiful though"

An assistant behind the counter heard her.

"Would the young lady like to try it on?" he asked her and she blushed.

"Oh no, I..." she began but Clark interrupted.

"Yes, she would"

Lana gave him a surprised look as the shop assistant took the ring from the display case and handed it to Clark. He held it in his hand, watching the light catch on the bright green stones. They did remind him of meteor rocks, but thankfully without the nausea.

He looked down at Lana and, smiling, he took hold of her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

"A beautiful ring for a beautiful lady" the assistant smiled, "Wouldn't you agree sir?" he said to Clark.

"Er, yeah, absolutely" he smiled and Lana blushed, quickly removing the ring from her hand.

"Thankyou, but I think we should go now" she said, putting the ring down on the counter and rushing from the store. Clark followed.

"Hey" he said, catching hold of her arm as they got near to the door, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing Clark" she lied, "I just think we should be getting home now"

Clark knew there was more to it than that. She had obviously felt the same as he had. The assistant treated them as a couple and it had been a comfortable and wonderful feeling, but they both knew it was wrong. Clark was with Chloe and Lana was with Lex. Too many people would get hurt if anything happened between them now.

"Okay, if you want to go home now we can" he agreed with a nod.

"I do" she said, quietly, before they both made a run for the truck. The rain was still beating down all around and they had a long, quiet trip back to Smallville, ahead of them.

"Nothing, nothing, nothing" Chloe complained as she flipped between channels on the TV. There was apparently nothing on that she wanted to watch. She hadn't been able to concentrate on her articles for the Torch either, she couldn't concentrate on anything - what was wrong with her?

She sighed to herself. Maybe it was because she missed Clark? She wasn't jealous of Lana and she didn't mind that Clark had taken the raven-haired beauty to Metropolis, but something was making Chloe Sullivan uneasy. She was lonely if she was honest. With her father at work and both Clark and Lana in the city, it left Chloe at a loose end. Even Pete had other things to do, namely another date with Erica Fox who he had taken to the Spring Formal.

"I wonder what Lex is doing now?" she said aloud. It was a couple of hours since he'd left her house after bringing her clothes back to her and she wondered what the billionaire did on a Saturday afternoon. Well there was one way to find out.

Chloe went to the phone and flipped through the book beside it. She knew her father must have put Lex's number in there somewhere. She laughed when she found what she was looking for, Lex Luthor's name and number, sandwiched between that of her grandma and the pizza place. 

'Funny to see someone so important and wealthy, next to my grandmother and my favourite food outlet' Chloe smiled to herself as she lifted the receiver and prepared to dial the number. At first she had wondered if it was such a good idea, calling someone like Lex Luthor, but seeing his name there in the book, somehow it made him seem a little more human. Besides he had seemed human and normal and actually very nice when he had taken her to his house and given her some clothes. She thought all this as she dialled the number and waited for him to pick up at the other end. She jumped at his abrupt tone as he answered.

"Lex Luthor" 

"Hi" Chloe answered, "this is Chloe Sullivan"

"Chloe" he echoed, then he added, "where did you find my cell phone number?"

'That explains why the line is a little crackly', she thought, 'its his cellphone number and not his office number'.

"You don't expect your number to be difficult to find in the house of your plant manager, do you?" she asked. For a moment he didn't answer.

"I hadn't thought about it" he admitted, "Anyway" he continued, "not that it isn't a pleasure to talk to you Miss Sullivan but why are you calling?"

"Oh" she said, trying to think of a reason other than 'I was bored and I wondered if you were too'

"Well, I just thought, with Clark in Metropolis and Lana too, maybe...oh I don't know what I thought" she rambled and Lex tried not to laugh.

"I'll tell you what _I_ think, Miss Sullivan" the young man said smoothly, "I think perhaps we may have had the same thought"

"I don't understand" Chloe said honestly and Lex was glad she couldn't see the smirk on his face.

"Look out the window" was all he said to her and she did as she was told. With the wire of the phone stretched as far as it would go, she pulled back the edge of the curtain with her free hand and looked out.

There in front of her, through the rain, she saw a car coming toward her house, a silver Porsche, which pulled up right outside her front door. When the door opened, a certain bald billionaire emerged and looked in at her, a cell phone held to his ear.

"Well" Chloe smiled and sighed, "looks like great minds think alike after all" she said, as she put down the phone and made for the front door to let him in. 

She noticed he looked particularly good in his perfectly tailored suit and framed in her own front door way. 'He's just a friend, Chloe' she told herself, 'You are in love with Clark' The blonde had to remind herself of that fact several times during the afternoon as the pair just talked about things. Things like their friends and his job and her love for journalism. 

In fact, Lex had to remind himself once or twice that this was Clark's girlfriend he was talking too and not his own. They were so comfortable around each other now that they both felt a certain sadness when Lex had to leave, but Gabe was due home soon and although they were not doing anything wrong neither of them felt like explaining their new found friendship to Mr Sullivan. A friendship was definitely what they had though and Lex thought perhaps he could learn to live with that in time. He couldn't break Lana's heart and he convinced himself that Chloe didn't feel that way for him anyway. 

'But if all we can have is friendship, then so be it' he thought 'I'll enjoy every second of it' 

He had no idea she was thinking the same thing as they waved goodbye.

TBC

A/N : Chapter 9 is already up...


	9. Chapter 9

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 9

"Chloe!"

Gabe called up the stairs as soon as he got home. She ran down to see him.

"Hey Dad" she smiled, "How was work?"

"As fine as it usually is" he told her, "So what have you been up to all day?"

"Noting really" she lied, "Just working on the Torch"

She wasn't sure why she was lying, since she had done nothing wrong, but something made her feel almost guilty about the time she had spent talking to Lex. It wasn't like they were doing anything else, anything that they shouldn't be doing - they were just talking, totally innocently. What worried Chloe was the fact that not all of her thoughts during that time had been totally innocent. 

Finally Chloe was dating Clark, so why was it that when Lex was talking she couldn't help imagining what it would be like to kiss him? It made her feel very guilty, since it had taken her such a long time to get Clark away from Lana and now she finally had him she was having fantasies about his best friend!

"Chloe?" Gabe repeated his daughters name and she shook her head to bring herself out of her thoughtful daze.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you if you wanted a coffee, I was just going to make one" he father repeated the question she had not heard.

"Oh, yes please" she smiled.

"The weather out there is getting worse you know" Gabe told her as she followed him to the kitchen, "I honestly thought I was going to roll the car on the way home"

"I hope Clark and Lana are okay" she said suddenly, "They were going to Metropolis today"

"Well, I'm sure they'd be home by now" Gabe assured her.

"Yeah, you're probably right" she smiled, sitting down at the kitchen table, while her father made the coffee.

"I think this weather is actually getting worse" Clark mumbled as he tried to see the road in front of him. The rain was really coming down making a lot of noise and making driving conditions increasingly dangerous. Thankfully, Clark and Lana were closer to Smallville than they were Metropolis now.

"I'm sorry it was a wasted trip" Lana said quietly, looking out of the window.

"It wasn't wasted" Clark told her, concentrating on the road, "we had fun"

Both of them thought about that. Fun? Was that really the right word for todays shopping experience? They didn't think about it for long, as a loud rumbling sound brought them both out of their silent thoughts.

"What was that?" Lana said with panic in her voice.

"Thunder?" Clark guessed.

"It sounded different to thunder..." said the girl next to him, as she looked out at the fields and hills.

"Oh my God, Clark, look!" she shrieked, pointing out of the window. Clark glanced from the road in front of him to the land to one side and was shocked by what he saw there.

"A landslide" he said, unnecessarily, "We've gotta get out of here"

Clark was having trouble controlling the truck at the current slow speed. Increasing his speed would make keeping the car on the road even harder but they needed to out run the shifting rock and earth.

Lana kept watching through the passenger door window as great chunks of the countryside fell down all around. Several lumps of earth, mud, and rock, slid down into the road, missing the truck by inches. Clark dared to go a little faster, in a vain attempt to go faster than the land, but he risked a little too much. A small boulder fell down in front of the vehicle and Clark swerved hard to avoid it. The tyres screeched across the road and skidded into the bank.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked Lana as soon as the truck came to a halt.

"Yes, I'm fine" she said, shaking with shock, "Oh no" she added, covering her mouth with one hand and pointing past Clark. He followed her gaze and the direction of her hand to see a bank of mud and rocks flying toward the truck from the other side this time. He knew he was going to have to do something if they were going to survive.

"Get down!" he yelled to Lana, who instinctively did as she was told, unfortunately hitting her head on the dashboard as she went down.. Clark dived over her, assuming that anything that hit him would do him no harm - he was wrong.

It was a miracle that most if the rock and earth stayed outside the vehicle. It rained down, covering the top and sides and wedging the doors closed on both sides. 

A particularly sharp rock crashed down with great speed, piercing the glass of the driver side window and striking Clark across the back of the head. Any normal rock would have glanced off without causing any harm at all but this was no normal rock. It glowed green as it bounced off Clark and rolled under the seats of the truck.

For one of the first times in his life, Clark Kent was unconscious and in great danger, meaning Lana's life was at risk too.

TBC

A/N : Please let me know what you think. Your reviews mean a lot.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N : Thanx to moonmaid, tigerlily, snowflake and everYours for the latest reviews. 

(For disclaimer, etc. see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

Chloe answered the door and saw him standing there, smiling that genuine smile he saved just for her. No words were spoken, they were not needed, he just stepped into the house, closing the door behind himself, before walking towards her, backing her against the wall. There eyes were locked as his hand moved behind her head, bringing her lips towards his. She closed her eyes and murmured his name.

"Lex..."

Brring! Brring!

Chloe sat bolt upright in her bed and looked daggers at her alarm clock. She was surprised to see it was not that had interrupted her sleep.

Brring! Brring!

Chloe shook her head trying to decipher what the sound was and why she felt so shaky. 

"Phone" she said aloud, pulling herself out of bed, glancing briefly at the clock again as she left the room ad cursed the person who would call her at five o'clock on a Sunday morning!

"Hello?" she said, wearily, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to focus them as well as her mind.

"Chloe, this is Jonathan Kent" said the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Mr Kent" Chloe wondered what he wanted, but it did explain why the phone was ringing at five in the morning - farmer's get up early.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, a little more awake now.

"Well, I don't know" he explained, "Is Clark there?" he asked, almost nervously.

"Why would Clark be here at fi..." Chloe started before realising what the man was implying, "No, he's not" she stated, too busy being embarrassed to even wonder why Clark wasn't at home with his parents.

"So you haven't seen Clark since yesterday?" he checked.

"Actually, I didn't see him yesterday, he took Lana to Metropolis" Chloe told him, pushing her hair out of her face and trying to be as alert as possible, vaguely wondering why her Dad hadn't answered the phone.

"Chloe, I don't want to worry you but, Clark didn't come home last night" said Jonathan slowly.

"Well, the weather was bad, maybe they stayed over in the city" the blonde suggested.

"Maybe" the farmer agreed, "but I'm sure they would have let us know about that"

Chloe knew he was right. Clark would have let someone know. She thought about it for a while, trying to think what could have happened. As she thought she glanced down by the phone and saw a note.

'Chloe,

Couldn't sleep so I've gone to do some paperwork at the office.

Should be back by lunchtime,

from Dad'

'Well that explains why he didn't answer the phone!' Chloe thought to herself.

"Chloe? Are you still there?" Jonathan checked.

"Oh, yeah, sorry" she answered, "Well, what do you think we should do?"

"Well, I'm going to call Nell, see if she's heard from Lana, but then I don't know who else to call. I suppose there is Lex, but..." his voice trailed off and Chloe knew why. Mr Kent and the young Mr Luthor weren't exactly the best of friends.

"Would you like me to call him?" she offered and she heard a relieved sigh from him.

"Thankyou Chloe, that would be very helpful"

"No problem, Mr Kent" she smiled "and I'm sure Clark and Lana are fine"

"I hope so Chloe. Bye" the man said before hanging up the phone.

Chloe put the receiver back in it's cradle and looked down at herself. There was no way she was going to call Lex Luthor whilst she was wearing her pyjamas. It didn't matter whether he could see her or not, which of course he couldn't, but she would no she was under-dressed and it would make her nervous.

She came back down the stairs a few minutes later in her black pants and patterned blouse, her hair brushed a little so it was at least under control. She moved toward the phone and picking up the receiver she dialled Lex's cell phone number, just like she had the day before.

It rang six times before he picked up, Chloe guessed she'd probably woken him up, but this was quite important.

"Lex Luthor" he said, just the same as the last time, if not a little more quietly.

"Lex, this is Chloe" she said, quickly, "I'm sorry if I woke you up, but I'm trying to find Clark"

"Clark?" he repeated, sitting up in his bed and rubbing his eyes, "He isn't back from Metropolis yet? What time is it?"

"It's about five thirty" Chloe explained, "And I've just had Clark's father on the phone asking me if I've seen Clark. Seems like he and Lana didn't come home last night. Did either of them call you?"

"No" he answered and it was now that it started to hit home for Chloe. If Lex didn't know where they were, and the Kents didn't know either, then something was wrong. Both Lana and Clark were far too sensible to not let someone know what was going on if they could, which presumably meant they couldn't.

"Lex, do you think something's happened to them?" she asked, a certain amount of panic in her voice, which Lex detected even though he was not completely awake.

"Chloe, I'm sure they're both fine" he assured her, despite the fact he wasn't convinced himself. She seemed to believe him, but then Luthors were good at lying.

"You're probably right" she agreed, "but I'm not happy about it, it's just not like them to disappear" 

"I'll tell you what" he said, getting out of bed and holding his phone under his chin while he pulled on his pants, "give me an hour, I'll come and pick you up and we'll head over to the Kents and see what we can do, okay?"

"Okay" Chloe agreed, glad that he understood she wanted to be doing something to help with the possibly unpleasant situation.

Although he'd asked to be given an hour, Lex pulled his car up outside the Sullivan house in just forty three minutes from when he put down the phone. Chloe knew it was forty three minutes and twenty seven seconds exactly because she had been watching the hands of the clock go round the whole time. 

Part of her was panicking over Clark and Lana, but another part felt guilty. What if something had happened to them whilst she was laughing and joking with Lex? She could have been having fun, and thinking unsavoury thoughts about this man, whilst her boyfriend and this man's girlfriend were..., well, she didn't even like to think what might be happening to them.

She moved toward the door when she head him knock, and he smiled when she opened the door. For a second she just stood and stared at him.

"Are you okay?" he checked when she neither moved nor spoke.

"I'm fine" she smiled, shaking her head to clear her thoughts, "Just weird kind of deja vu thing"

"Well, I did come here yesterday" he said, thoughtfully "maybe that's what it is"

"Maybe" she agreed, as he came through the door, brushing past her in the hall. 

A sudden memory made her scream, and he almost jumped away from her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her for the second time in as many minutes.

She blushed crimson for making such an idiot of herself but also because he memory of last nights dream came flooding back, in full sound and technicolour, making her feel so many things.

"I'm fine" she managed to say, thinking fast she added, "static shock, when you brushed past"

He looked at her dubiously then walked into the living room.

"Where's your father?" he asked next and breathing deeply she followed him into the room and explained that Gabe had gone to do extra paper work because he couldn't sleep.

"I should leave him a note in case he gets back before I do" she realised, grabbing a pen and paper and scribbling down the information.

'Dad,

Gone to the Kents, back soon

from Chloe'

She thought it was best not to mention that Clark and Lana were effectively missing, her Dad would only worry and everything was probably fine anyway.

"Shall we go now?" Lex asked as she finished writing and left the paper by the phone where her father had left his own note.

"Yes, let's go" she smiled, keeping her distance from him as she slid on her jacket, and they left the house.

A/N : If you read it, please review it. I'll update again soon.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N : Thanx to moonmaid, snowflake and everYours for the latest reviews. Chlex will come eventually, but the journey to that point won't be easy...

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 11

Lana groaned as she awoke in the truck. Her eyes fluttered open and everything in front of her was a blur. Her head hurt, pain was definitely a prominent feeling, in fact her whole body ached, like it was being crushed. She shifted her body and realised why she couldn't move. Turning herself from her side to her back she came face to face with an unconscious Clark Kent.

Just for a moment she didn't move. Studying his face, just inches from hers, it would have been so easy just to lean up and kiss him, but no, that was wrong. She reminded herself of her attachment to Lex and of Clark's love for Chloe. Her good sense returned to her and she shifted so her hands were against Clark's body. She pushed, forcing both herself and him up in their seats. It was only as she finally managed to get them both in a seated position that she noticed the bump on the back of his head. Whatever had hit him, it hadn't broken the skin but it had evidently hit him hard.

"Clark" she said his name, as she shook him gently, "Clark" she repeated, but he wasn't coming round. Lana was starting to worry now. It was only now as she looked up around herself that she realised what had happened. 

The earth and rocks that had slid down the banks, had surrounded the car. On her own, there was no way she would be able to open either of the doors. Mud and stones covered all the window, making the interior of the truck decidedly dark and murky. A hole in the driver's side window let in a little light, but it had also let in some of the debris.

Despite all of this, Lana breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Clark's chest rise and fall. Yes, he was unconscious, but he was alive, and there was no blood on him, that had to be a good thing.

Lana fumbled in the bag by her feet, trying to find her cell phone. With shaking hands she dialled her Aunt's number.

"Well, here we are" said Lex as he parked the car outside the Kent farm house. Chloe just smiled a little and got out. The journey from her house to here had been mainly passed in silence. All she could think of was her dream and what a horrible person she was for having had it in the first place. Lex himself was also feeling guilty for a few less than innocent thoughts he'd had about the girl next to him. He couldn't bear to look at her, nevermind talk to her. He knew if he did he could end up saying or even doing what he really wanted to do and that would only hurt Clark and Lana, besides Chloe probably didn't want him anyway, she loved Clark.

Inside the farmhouse, Martha and Nell sat at the kitchen table as Jonathan paced up and down.

"I just can't understand what's happened" Lana's aunt was saying as Chloe and Lex came to the door, Jonathan let them in.

"Mr Kent, have you heard from them yet?" Lex asked.

"No" he said flatly, "No-one's heard anything"

"Maybe we should call Ethan" Martha suggested, close to tears.

"With respect Mrs Kent," Lex began, "the authorities won't pay any attention to a couple of teenagers who are late back from a road trip, especially when they've only been gone a few hours"

Jonathan looked daggers at the young Luthor and Chloe found herself wanting to defend him.

"He's right" she said suddenly, "Maybe we could look for them ourselves" she suggested, "They've got to be somewhere between here and Metropolis"

The three adults looked thoughtful before agreeing. There was only one main road out of Smallville but that forked off in three directions, each of which could take you to Metropolis. There was no telling which way Clark and Lana would have travelled. One or two of the routes may have become impassable due to the weather, meaning they took a route they might not normally use.

It was decided that the Kents would take one route, using their neighbours truck, Nell would take another route in her own truck and Lex would take Chloe in his car down the third route. The Kents took their cell phone with them and Chloe took hers whilst Lex leant his to Nell, she had left hers at home and she didn't want to have to go and fetch it now, she just wanted to find her niece. It was decided that if they found anything they would let the others no.

The two trucks and the Porsche moved away from the farm like a convoy, splitting up as they reached the junction. Lex noticed that Chloe's hands were shaking as she gripped her cellphone.

"We're going to find them Chloe and I'm sure when we do they'll be fine" he assured her.

"I know" she nodded, but he knew she didn't believe him anymore than he believed himself.

He took one hand off of the steering wheel and put it on hers, just for a moment. He wasn't sure why and she wasn't sure what to make of it but it just felt right at the time.

"Aunt Nell, where are you?" Lana said to herself as the phone rang and rang, but no-one picked up. After about the thirtieth ring, Lana gave up and tried to think of someone else to call. She looked through the numbers logged into her phone. 

"A, B, C...Chloe" she said to herslef as the alphabetical list reached the reporters number. She remembered Chloe gave her cell phone number to her once when she was working on an article the Torch, 'in case you need help with anything' she'd said. 

"Well, I do need help now" said Lana, nervously to herself as the phone started to ring.

Chloe physically jumped as the phone on her lap started to ring and vibrate at the same time. She glanced at the screen to see who was calling, the Kents or Nell, she was surprised, but relieved to see Lana's name there.

"It's Lana!" she said, answering at the same time, Lex glanced over as she put the phone to her ear.

"Lana? Where are you?" she asked.

"I don't know, Chloe, but we need help" Lana said quickly, the signal was not good inside the truck, surrounded by all the earth and rocks. Chloe could barely make out what the ex-cheerleader was saying.

"Lana what happened?" Chloe asked, "Where's Clark?"

Lex glanced between the road and Chloe, starting to worry again now as Chloe's tone got more agitated.

"Clark's here" Lana explained, "but he's..."

Chloe pulled the phone away from her ear and Lex asked what was wrong.

"It went dead" she said, checking the screen.

"What did Lana say, are they okay?" he checked.

"I don't know" Chloe felt tears coming to her eyes as she explained "I couldn't make out much of what she was saying, but I think she said something about a landslide and I'm pretty sure something's wrong with Clark" she blinked hard and tried to focus on the phone in her hands that were shaking even more now than they had been before "I'm going to try and call her back"

"A landslide?" Lex echoed, "Then they have to be on this road. It's flat land either side of the other two routes" he realised. 

There was a moments silence as they waited for Lana to answer her phone, but she didn't.

"Don't ever expect to hear this again" Chloe said, turning to Lex, "but I think you should drive faster" 

A/N : Please review, because it means a lot to me and I'll post chapter 12 soon.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N : Thanx to moonmaid, agent_pigtails and everYours for the latest reviews. 

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 12 

"No, no, no!" Lana yelled, slamming her right hand against the cell phone in her left. A weak bleeping sound told her the battery was about to run out and in seconds the screen went blank. She only hoped that now someone knew roughly what had happened that someone might come and save them.

"Lana" 

The girls head shot up when she heard Clark faintly say her name.

"Clark?" she said, turning in her seat to look at him properly, "Can you here me Clark?"

For a second his eyes flickered open, but he cringed in pain almost immediately that he awoke. Despite his grogginess and dizziness he knew what must be causing his intense pain and nausea - meteor rocks. 

"We have to get out" he said, weakly, starting to struggle in his seat. Lana put her hand on his shoulder and tried to calm him down.

"Clark, we can't get out, we're trapped inside the truck because of the landslide" she explained, trying not to burst into tears again. "You remember the landslide?" she asked, unsure how bad the bump on his head had been.

Clark pushed his hair back from his face and noticed his hand as he did so. The veins moved strangely near the surface of his skin and glowed an eerie green. He wasn't sure if Lana had seen it, but he put his hand back down quickly, and kept them down just in case.

"I remember" Clark assured her, glancing outside the truck. There was dirt and rocks everywhere, but none were visibly green, besides which, if the meteor rocks were outside of the truck, beyond the glass and metal, then surely they should not be affecting him this badly. There had to be a rock somewhere inside - there just had to be, but the pain was clouding his thoughts and he struggled to stay conscious. It felt as if all the power, super-power and even normal human power, was being drained out of him all the time.

"I think we're safe for now" Lana told him, "the rains stopped so I don't think the lands going to move anymore. We just need to sit tight. I've called Chloe, I'm hoping someone will come soon" she told him, as he writhed in obvious agony. It hurt her so much just to watch him and knowing that she could not help made it worse.

"Clark, what's the matter, where's the pain?" she asked him, desperate to help him.

"Everywhere" he said, honestly, "I just...I can't..." he couldn't even get the words out. He finally lost his battle with consciousness and the world went black, leaving Lana alone again.

"Oh no!" she yelled, leaning over him and making sure he was still alive. She was relieved to find a pulse and signs of breathing but they were both weak and faint, and she panicked when she realised that both may not last much longer.

The silver Porsche of Lex Luthor rocketed down the road, it's owner at the wheel and a panicked Chloe Sullivan at his side.

"Oh God Lex, what if...what if Clark..." she started but she couldn't say it. Lex knew what she meant. Lana had said Clark was there but before she could say anymore the phone had gone dead. They knew that Lana was probably going to tell them of some injury of Clark, which was bad enough but the phone cutting off like that caused even more panic inside the Porsche. What is there had been another landslide? What if they'd both been knocked unconscious? What if...they were dead?

"Chloe, just try to put all the 'what if' questions to the back of your mind" Lex told her, even though he was having trouble doing that himself. "You'll drive yourself crazy if you think like that"

There was just a minute or so of silent driving then before Chloe spotted something.

"Look!" she screamed, "Over there, in that rubble! It's the truck!"

Lex glanced over and saw that she was right. Small areas of red paint shone through amongst the rocks, mud and debris and it was more obvious as they got closer that it was definitely the Kent family truck buried amongst that rubble.

"Chloe, call the Kents and Nell" Lex instructed as he pulled the car over to the other side of the road, "We might need some help"

Chloe did as she was told, but when Lex made to get out of the car, she did too, with the phone to her ear.

"Chloe, stay in the car" he ordered, but she ignored him.

"No way" she retorted, "I came to help and that's what I'm going to do"

"I'm not going to let you get hurt" he said and as angry as it made her that he thought she was incapable just because she was female or because she was younger, she was touched by the fact that he cared about her.

"Well, you're going to risk your life" she yelled, "It's up to me if I want to do the same"

Lex knew he was wasting his time arguing with her when he should be rescuing his best friend and his girlfriend so he gave up and let her come with him. She finished off her phone calls to the Kents and Nell who said they would come immediately. Of course, it was going to take them some time, given that they were halfway to Metropolis on their respective routes.

Over by the pile of shifted land, Lex was trying to work out the best way to handle the situation. As he walked around the debris he called out the names of the two trapped inside.

"Lex!" he heard called back faintly.

"That's Lana!" Chloe stated the obvious at full volume as Lex came round to what seemed to be the passenger side of the truck. He began to shift the earth and rock away from that side and soon he could see his girlfriend through the mud smeared glass of the passenger window. It suddenly occurred to him, at that moment that Lana was his girlfriend. He'd known it before but it only struck him properly now. He cared for her welfare and he'd been panicked when he thought she was in trouble but he was equally troubled by Clark's possible peril. In fact, he had felt equally worried about Chloe, just because she was panicking herself, but he didn't have time to think about it now.

"Lana are you okay?" he called through the door.

"I think so" she called back, "but Clark..." she said, glancing back at him. Lex couldn't see his friend properly but he did know he had to get the passenger door open and get them out.

"When I pull the door Lana" he instructed, "I want you to push"

She nodded that she would and he counted to three before pulling hard on the door. Lana pushed too, but to no avail.

"Chloe, I need your help" Lex told the blonde, who came immediately. The thought struck her that Lex Luthor had just asked for help, had just asked _her_ for help, but then it was only to save his girlfriend, which wasn't her, so...she didn't have time to think about that now.

Standing next to Lex and grabbing the door, she pulled with all the force she had as the brunette inside pushed and finally the buckled door gave way and Lana tumbled out the truck and onto the ground. 

Lex helped her up, and she said she was okay, as Chloe pushed passed and dived in the cab of the truck to get to Clark.

"Clark, can you hear me?" she asked, shaking him a little when he didn't respond.

"Oh God!" she screamed, "Lex, help me, I don't think he's breathing!"

A/N : Please review and the next chapter will come soon.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N : Thanx to moonmaid, everYours, kittsbud, alecsgrl and agent_pigtails for the reviews on the previous chapter. Apologies for the cliffhanger, here's what happens next...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 13

In seconds, Chloe and Lex had dragged Clark out for the truck and laid him on the road.

"Do something, please" Chloe raved as Lex checked Clark for a pulse, he found one, it was weak but it was there and as he looked him over, the young man seemed to start breathing again all by himself. His breaths were shallow but oxygen was going in, that was the main thing.

"I think he's going to be okay" Lex sighed, "But that was too close" he added, under his breath. He felt incredibly guilty about the thoughts he'd been having the day before. Thoughts about Chloe, his best friends girlfriend. He had betrayed Clark, and Lana, in his mind and he'd never felt guilt like it, actually he'd never felt guilt at all, but now it was hitting him like a punch in the face.

Both Chloe and Lana knelt beside Clark and cried in relief when they realised he was indeed breathing now. If nothing else, he was alive.

"We should get him to the hospital" the bald man said.

"Oh, yeah" Chloe answered, shaking her head to clear her mind, "but I called the Kents and Nell, they'll be here soon"

"I don't think we should waste time" Lex explained, "I think we should get him to a doctor now" 

Chloe had a thought.

"You take him, we'll wait here for the others" she suggested.

"I can't leave you girls here..." he started, but she gave him her most defiant look.

"Lex, we can look after ourselves for five minutes" she said, "but Clark needs your help right now"

It made sense. Clark had saved Lex's life on the first day they'd met, now he had the chance to repay that favour although he wished these circumstances had never arisen. He put Clark into the passenger side of the car, surprised by the fact that the only injury his friend seemed to have suffered was the blow to the back of his head.

"Lex, take care of him" Lana sobbed as the billionaire was about to get in the car himself, "and yourself"

"I will" he assured her, and with a final glance and Chloe's tear-stained face he got into the Porsche and sped away.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Chloe asked Lana as they waited for the others to arrive.

"I'm fine, honestly. I think I blacked out for a while, but I feel okay, shaken but okay" she explained "Chloe" she started again "I'm sorry"

"Why are you sorry?" the blonde asked her, not understanding.

Lana took a deep breath, wiped away her tears and turned to her friend.

"When we were in Metropolis, me and Clark, we were looking at jewellery in this expensive store and I said I liked this ring and Clark told me I should try it on..." she explained. Chloe just listened, wondering where this story was going.

"Well, the assistant in the store, he thought me and Clark were..."

"A couple?" Chloe prompted.

"Well, yes" the brunette admitted, "I'm really sorry"

Chloe actually laughed a little then.

"Lana, you don't have to be sorry for someone else's presumption" she told the ex-cheerleader.

"Maybe not, but..." she started again but Chloe wasn't listening as she saw Clark's parents approaching.

"They're here" she smiled slightly as she stood up from the edge of the road and moved toward the Kent's truck.

"Where's Clark?!" Martha practically screamed as she jumped out of the truck, Jonathan at her side in seconds.

"Lex is taking him to the hospital, he was unconscious" Chloe explained, as Lana came to stand beside her "We couldn't all fit in the car and someone needed to wait her for you and Lana's aunt anyway"

As if on queue Nell's truck pulled up just behind the Kents and she ran to Lana, embracing her tightly.

"Oh, princess, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine, honestly" Lana assured her, "but I need you to take me to the hospital, I need to see Clark" she explained.

"Okay, honey" Nell nodded, "get in the truck"

"Chloe, do you want to come with us too" Lana offered and she got a nod in response.

By now the Kents were already back in their truck and racing toward the hospital, glad that they had no passengers. They could now talk freely about what was worrying them

"Unconscious, Jonathan" Martha said, flatly, "how can our boy be unconscious?"

"I don't know" her husband told her honestly, "it must be meteor rocks, but surely he'll be okay if he gets away from them"

"But at a hospital" she said, emotionless from shock, "the doctors could find out..." she didn't want to finish that thought, never mind the sentence. She didn't need to, because Jonathan knew what danger Clark was in if the doctors realised what he was, or rather what he wasn't. Subconsciously, Mr Kent increased the speed on the truck just a little bit more.

"I need a doctor here, right now" Lex yelled as he got out of his car. Recognising the young Luthor, several medical staff rushed toward him and Clark was out of the car on a trolley and half way down a hospital corridor in mere seconds.

That was when Clark came back round.

"Lana" he whispered as he reached out a hand.

"It's okay Clark" Lex told him, moving by the side of the trolley, "Lana's fine and you're going to be okay too"

The young man's eyes flickered and his head nodded slightly. Lex knew he understood.

"He's to have the best care possible, no expense spared" Lex told the doctor on the other side of the trolley, who nodded that he understood. He knew the name Luthor, he knew what it meant and how much money and power was behind it. He intended to obey this man.

As the medical staff pushed Clark away, Lex was asked if he wouldn't mind waiting in a waiting room. He said he didn't mind, but he wanted a private place to wait, for himself and Clark's friends and family when they arrived. He was given what he asked for.

It was just ten minutes later that Martha and Jonathan arrived, and Lex explained to them that whilst Clark had been unconscious, he had come round before and the doctors were confident he would be okay.

The Kents thanked him for helping out but they were more scared for Clark's secret than his life. Away from the meteors, his strength should return, but if the doctors realised that Clark wasn't human, they didn't even like to think what might happen. Plus Lex was there, and Lana and Chloe and Nell would soon be too, they were all going to find out too.

A/N : Please review and I'll update again as soon as I can.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N : Sorry it's taken so long for me to update this but I've been having a lack of inspiration and drive to write my smallville fics recently. I think I'm back on track now though and I want to thank everyone who reviewed chapter thirteen; Brandon, moonmaid, everYours, teenage_dirtbag, snowflake, Akemi Akibi, Jake, haydenschk, agent-pigtails - thanx for all the comments.

Here's chapter fourteen, sorry if it's a little bit short but I'll try to update again soon...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 14

"Mr Luthor?" a doctor entered the private waiting room where Lex, Lana, Chloe, Nell and the Kents were patiently waiting for news on Clark's condition, "I have news about your friend"

"Doctor" Lex moved forward to introduce Martha and Jonathan to the man, "this is Mr and Mrs Kent, Clark's parents. They need to hear whatever you have to say more than I do"

Martha managed a small smile, grateful to Lex for all he had done, but still worried about Clark and his secret.

"What's the news, doctor?" Jonathan asked, "Is our boy okay?" almost dreading hearing either answer. 

"Well, he's been slipping in and out of consciousness for a while now, but we've done scans and x-rays to check for internal injuries and also more serious head injuries. What I can tell you is that apart from the bump on his head, Clark appears to be unharmed. The scans of his brain have also shown no abnormalities at this time"

"So he's going to be okay?" Martha smiled.

"Yes, we think so" the doctor was delighted to tell them, at which point Lana hugged Nell, the Kents squeezed each other tighter and Chloe found herself reaching for Lex.

"Can we see him?" Martha asked and the doctor said they could, but just his parents for now.

As relieved as they looked, the Kents were still panicking all the time. As yet the doctors didn't seem to know that Clark was different but how long would it be before they did?

As they left the waiting room, Nell offered to fetch coffee for the others and Lana said she would go with her. Chloe had recently sat back down on her chair as had Lex. There were three empty seats between them. 

Lana and Nell left the room, Lana smiling a little at Lex as she went, just enough to remind Chloe that, despite the hug they had shared, Lex belonged to Lana. She felt as guilty as possible and inwardly cursed herself for feeling jealous, especially with Clark laying in the next room, lucky to be alive.

The room was silent for a moment, until Chloe finally spoke, quietly to him.

"Thankyou" she said, not actually looking at him, "for saving Clark"

"I couldn't have done it without you" he told her, "and we saved Lana too"

Chloe nodded and smiled a little.

"We make a good team" he said, looking over at her, just as she herself glanced up. Their eyes locked on each others and there was no denying the feeling that was there. Images of the last couple of days flashed through Chloe's mind - the day in the rain when he took her home, visiting her house when they were both lonely, and that kiss in her dream, - she started to wonder if it could ever feel as wonderful as it had in her head.

Whilst Chloe was a thinker, Lex was a man of action. In the time it had taken her to think all these things, she hadn't even noticed he had moved up three seats and was now right next to her.

"Chloe" he breathed, bringing her attention to him. She didn't get a chance to answer him as he closed the final space between them, covering her lips with his. Half in her dream and half in reality, Chloe responded to what he started, and in moments they were so wrapped in each other and a whole host of feelings they'd never felt before, they didn't even notice the door open. They didn't see the brunette girl and her Aunt standing in the doorway. They didn't see the looks of shock on both their faces, and they didn't see the older woman chase the younger as she ran off down the hospital corridor, tears streaming down her face.

"Clark, honey" Martha hurried to the side of her son, in all senses of the word but biologically. His eyes flickered open at the sound of her voice.

"How are you feeling son?" Jonathan asked him, gently as he could.

"Okay, I think" Clark spoke in a volume barely above a whisper, "Only, I feel normal"

"What do you mean by normal?" Jonathan whispered, careful that the one nurse on the other side of the room did not hear him.

"I don't know" Clark struggled to understand it himself.

"It's okay" Martha soothed, "You're going to be okay and we're going to take you home just as soon as we can"

"How's Lana?" the boy asked suddenly, "please tell me she's okay"

"She's just fine, son" Jonathan told him, "Lex and Chloe pulled you two out of the truck, she barely had a scratch on her. It was you everyone was worried about"

Clark managed to smile, just knowing that Lana was okay made him feel better. He felt some of his strength slowly returning to him as he lay in the bed, half asleep and half awake most of the time. 

When he was awake, his parents were there, when he was asleep Lana was there, always in his dreams. It did occur to him that it should have been Chloe he was dreaming of but he couldn't help the way he felt. How he was going to explain to Chloe he wasn't sure, and then there was Lex, but he loved Lana, he knew that so clearly right now, even though everything was a blur. When he got out of the hospital he was going to tell the truth about what was in his heart, even if he couldn't tell the truth about the rest of himself.

A/N : Reviews are very welcome and I'll try to update again soon.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N : Thanx to :), Akemi Akibi, Josh, everYours, goldengirl04, LiLAgUaMaRiE, for the latest reviews. Here's the next chapter (sorry it's so short).

Chapter 15

"Mr and Mrs Kent" the doctor came over to speak to Jonathan and Martha. They moved away from Clark's bed, where he now slept soundly.

"Is everything okay doctor?" Martha asked nervously.

"Absolutely" Dr Johnson smiled, "We'll keep Clark in for observation until the morning but all the signs are good and so long as no new problems arise tonight, you can take your son home tomorrow afternoon"

"That's great news" Jonathan smiled, as Martha sighed in relief. The faster their boy was out of the hospital, the better, not only because that would mean he wasn't sick anymore, but also because there would be much less danger of anyone finding out about the Kent family secret.

"Just a few hours" Jonathan said to his wife as the doctor walked away.

"I know" she nodded, "And then we can get back to normal"

"Well, as normal as our lives ever are" he smiled, looking over at their sleeping son.

A sound in the corridor caught Chloe's attention, bringing her back to reality with a jolt. She pulled back from Lex and glanced toward the door where a hospital porter was using a mop and bucket on the floor.

'How did all that coffee get spilt in the doorway?' she wondered to herself, before everything became all too clear.

"Oh God" she breathed, standing up. Lex grabbed her hand.

"Where are you going?" he asked, confused as to why her mood had changed so fast.

"I don't know" she shook her head, only aware of the fact that she wanted to run, "I think Lana saw us" she admitted.

Lex sighed, running a hand back over his head.

"That probably wasn't the best way for her to find out the truth"

Although Chloe's mind was racing with thoughts about Lana , Clark and Lex and a lot of confusion and pain that might be caused, it didn't stop Lex's words from catching her attention.

"The truth?" she echoed, turning to look at him again, "What do you mean by that?"

He smiled as he looked up at her inquisitive face.

"The truth" he repeated, "is that I'm not in love with Lana, I'm in love with you, Chloe"

The would-be reporter, for one of the first times in her life, was speechless. She was attracted to Lex, that was obvious and from what had just happened she knew that he was probably attracted to her, but love? That was not a word she had considered. She loved Clark, even though she was beginning to realise that she was not actually *in* love with him, but did she love Lex?

"I don't know what to say" she admitted, "I mean, I..." her voice trailed away to nothing and Lex stood up beside her.

"You don't have to say anything" he told her, "what happened a minute ago told me everything I needed to know"

Just inches apart again, neither could resist whatever it was they were feeling and as temptation grew too much they were in each others arms again. Chloe pulled away a little.

"This is wrong" she whispered.

"Does it *feel* wrong?" he asked her and she couldn't deny it. It didn't feel wrong at all, in fact it was the complete opposite of wrong, it was more right than anything else she'd ever felt before. She shook her head and he kissed her again. She didn't resist, she didn't know how.

"Lana?" Nell came through the front doors if the hospital and round the corner of the building where she found her niece on a bench, sobbing into her hands.

"Lana, honey" she said gently, sitting down beside her niece and putting a comforting arm around her, "I don't know what to say"

The girl just continued to cry unable to say anything. It hurt that Lex and Chloe would do that to her but that wasn't what was making her so upset. The tears she shed were mostly of shock and, even more than that, of relief.

She had spent almost the entirety of her trip to Metropolis and back, and even times before and since, thinking about Clark in ways that made her feel decidedly guilty. She had not wanted to hurt Lex or Chloe, and now finding out that they obviously liked each other, well, it was a definite relief. 

The pain was there too though. As much as she had felt like betraying them, she hadn't actually done it, and yet they were willing to do it to her. Who knows what could have happened between them whilst she and Clark were in Metropolis or when they were in that truck, helpless and alone.

Feelings, all different but all equally over-powering, kept washing over her and Lana continued to cry in her aunts arms for several minutes before finally finding her voice.

"It's not all their fault" she sniffed and Nell looked shocked.

"Lana, how can you say that?"

"Easily" the girl replied, "the truth is, I never stopped caring about Clark, I was just lonely and so was Lex and..." she cried some more and Nell hugged her.

"You don't love Lex, you love Clark" she said pointlessly, now beginning to understand. She felt Lana's head nod yes on her shoulder as she continued to sob.

It was all a mess, that was for sure. Lana sobbing her heart out, whilst her boyfriend kissed another girl and the boy she actually loved lie in a hospital bed, only recently having had his life saved.

It sounded like a bad soap opera, but this was life in Smallville. Nell only hoped, as she comforted her niece, that these four young people would be able to resolve their problems very soon.

A/N : Reviews are always appreciated and more is on it's way soon...


	16. Chapter 16

A/N : Thanx to elswt and alecsgrl for the reviews on chapter fifteen. Sorry I haven't updated this for a while but to make up for that here's the next TWO chapters!

Hope you enjoy it.

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 16

Mr and Mrs Kent returned to the waiting room and were surprised to find only Chloe sitting there. Lex had recently gone to search for Lana, feeling it was only fair he gave her an apology and a proper explanation. Chloe had stayed behind, wondering what had just happened and what was going to happen next.

"How's Clark?" she asked Martha and Jonathan.

"He's going to be just fine" Mr Kent smiled before repeating to the blonde girl all that the doctors had told them. She was very relieved to know that Clark was alive and well. It was one less thing on her mind, which was wonderful considering she had so much else going on in there already.

It was getting quite late in the day now and Chloe excused herself and said she was going to get home to explain to her father what had happened and get some rest. Martha and Jonathan said maybe she'd like to say hi to Clark before she left but she made an excuse about letting him get some rest and left as quickly as she could. There was no way she could bare to see him right now, she couldn't bare to see anyone, she just wanted to get home and think.

* * * * *

Lex found Lana and Nell on a bench just outside the building. It was obvious the girl had been crying but she seemed to be calmer now and Lex was relieved about that. 

"Lana" he said quietly as he came toward them and Nell looked defensive, like she was ready to rip his limbs off, but Lana put a hand on her arm.

"I need to talk to him" she whispered to her aunt who nodded and said she would wait inside.

As she walked away, Lex came to sit beside Lana on the bench.

"I'm sorry" he said first and the girl was shocked to hear that. It was well known that Luthors didn't apologise, and in fact, it almost made her feel worse when he did. Yes, he had done wrong, but she had been tempted to do the same thing herself. 

"Its okay Lex" she found herself saying, and she surprised herself as well as him, "I know you don't love me, not in that way, and if I'm honest I'm not in love with you either"  
"Wow" Lex let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, "that really wasn't what I was expecting"

"It's the truth though, isn't it?" said Lana, quietly.

"Yes Lana, I think it is" he agreed, "I think I'm in love with Chloe"

"I know you are" she told him, "I know you wouldn't have done what you did to me if you weren't sure about her"  
"I'm sorry if I hurt you Lana" Lex said, probably more sincerely than he'd ever said anything in his life.

"Well, yes, you did hurt me Lex" she admitted "I may not be in love with you but you didn't know that and it did kind of hurt" she smiled in spite of herself "but the honest truth is, I'm still in love with Clark"

"Ah yes, Clark" Lex nodded "I mean, Chloe and I, we love each other and you're okay with that but, it remains to be seen what he thinks about it" he ran his hand back over his head and sighed "I used to think he was in love with you..."

"It would work out perfectly if he were" Lana interrupted.

"Well, I guess we won't know until we ask him" the man beside her stood up but Lana caught hold of his arm as he moved to walk away.

"Not now, not today. Let's wait until he's better or at least out of the hospital" she suggested.

"Okay" Lex agreed with a nod "You coming back inside?"

"Yes" she said, standing up and walking beside him "We can still be friends, right Lex?"

"Always, Lana"

The two headed back inside and Lana assured her aunt that everything was okay now. Lex called Chloe and told her the same, but everyone was still concerned about Clark's reaction. He had been in love with Lana but he had then seemed to be in love with Chloe. He could be hurt when he found out his girlfriend was now in love with his best friend. Plus, his best friends girlfriend was still in love with him. That was enough to confuse anybody.

* * * * *

When Chloe arrived home, her Dad was already there.

"Hey, honey" he came out into the hallway when he heard the front door open, "I got your note and I called the Kents but no-one was home. Where have you been?"

Chloe took a deep breath and explained the whole thing to her father. She told him everything about the accident and about the hospital, but she carefully left out all the details about her and Lex until the end.

"You must have been so worried about Clark" said Gabe as they sat on the sofa together.

"Yes, of course, he's my best friend" Chloe replied, "But, while we're on that topic, dad" she continued, "Clark's not actually my boyfriend anymore"

"Why not?" Gabe frowned, "What happened?"

'Okay, here goes' Chloe thought to herself.

"Well I kind of realised that although I love him, I'm not altogether in love with him and I'm actually in love with someone else and that someone else is kind of in love with me too"

Gabe blinked a few times and tried to understand the great flurry of words that had just sped out of his daughters mouth.

"So, you were still Clark's girlfriend this morning and now you're someone else's this afternoon?" he tried to understand.

"Well, it sounds crazy when you say it like that" Chloe laughed a little "but basically, yeah"

Gabe sat down and thought carefully before he asked;

"Do I know this new love of you life?"

"Yes" Chloe nodded, careful about her choice of words "you work with him actually"

"But I don't work with anyone young enough to be dating you" her father frowned "well, except for Lex, but..." he paused and stared at her. Chloe just smiled sweetly when he said "no, you're kidding"

"No joke Dad" she continued to smile, trying to gauge his reaction.

"You and Lex?" he checked she had actually dropped the bombshell that he thought she had.

Chloe nodded that it was true.

"Well, I think I need to sit down" he sighed.

"You're already sitting, Dad" Chloe would've laughed but this really wasn't the time for that.

"Well then, maybe I should stand" Gabe decided, getting to his feet but then unsure of what to do next.

"Dad, please, don't go crazy..." Chloe started.

"Who's crazy?" Gabe shrugged, pacing the room "I'm fine, I just, I think I need a drink"

"Dad, please" Chloe stood up and faced him, hands on his arms to stop him moving "I love Lex, I really do and he loves me"  
"And yesterday you loved Clark" her father argued.

"I still do love Clark" she explained "I'm just not *in* love with him, that was the mistake I made, but I'm totally in love with Lex"

Gabe sighed, almost defeated as his daughter continued 

"I know it's weird for you because he's your boss and I know he's a little older than me but, please, just give this a chance to work"

"I can't say I'm happy about this Chloe" he told her "I mean, I don't approve of Lex's reputation with women at all"

Chloe rolled her eyes, she knew what he meant.

"But apart from that he is a decent enough young man" Gabe admitted "so I guess I can make my peace with you dating him" Chloe smiled, triumphantly "if you promise me one thing"

"We won't kiss in front of you" his daughter grinned and he grimaced at the thought.

"Okay, two things" he amended "and the second thing is that you be careful honey and don't let him rush you into anything you're not ready for"

Chloe moved to hug him.

"I promise, Daddy"

A/N : Chapter 17 is already posted.....


	17. Chapter 17

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 17

Finally it was the next afternoon and time for Clark to go home. Martha and Jonathan were surprised when Chloe said she didn't want to go with them to fetch him, but they were also quite relieved too. They wanted to talk to him alone and make sure he was okay and that the doctors hadn't suspected that there was anything different about him.

Clark still seemed a little weak, which the doctors said was normal and he thanked the hospital staff for all they'd done. Jonathan helped his son out to the truck and was a little surprised when he stopped leaning on him outside the door.

"Dad I'm fine" he smiled at his parents expression, "but I couldn't act too well in front of the doctors and make them suspicious"

"So you're okay?" Martha checked as they got into the truck.

"Absolutely" Clark smiled, although to be honest he wasn't entirely sure he was fine. The wound had healed on his head and he no longer felt the nausea or dizziness he had felt before, but he felt tired and generally not as strong as he was used to feeling. Still, he was sure it was nothing and would soon pass and he'd be back to normal again. Right now he had other things on his mind. He needed to talk to Chloe, basically to dump her, but he didn't like to think of it in those words. The truth was he loved Lana and whether she loved him or not, he couldn't use Chloe, it wasn't fair. He only hoped he could work it all out so that he, Chloe, Lana and Lex could remain friends whatever happened. If only he knew what was happening just a mile away.

* * * * * 

"Lex, come on, we're supposed to be talking" Chloe hated to complain but she had not invited her 'boyfriend' over for them to spend the whole time making out, they needed to talk too.

"Can I help it if I find you distractingly attractive?" he said between kisses as he moved down her neck. He stopped abruptly when she seemed to go tense.

"What's the matter?" he asked seriously.

"I was just thinking about Clark" she admitted and Lex removed himself from her, sitting up straight on the sofa.

"Thanks Chlo, way to boost a guys ego. I'm kissing you, you're thinking about Clark" he huffed.

"Not like that" Chloe playfully whacked him in the chest, barely able to stifle a laugh "I mean I'm thinking about what we're going to say to him"

Lex feigned hurt and scooted closer to her again.

"There are other things I'd rather think about..." he murmured as he moved in to kiss her again.

"Lex, I'm serious" she told him.

"So am I" he whispered as their lips were almost touching, that was until Chloe backed away.

"Okay" Lex sighed in frustration and sat straight again "I know, and I don't want to hurt Clark either but he should be okay" he reasoned "I don't mean to sound harsh but didn't he only date you because he thought Lana didn't want him?"

"I'll admit, the thought crossed my mind" Chloe sighed.

"Well then, there's no problem" he shrugged "She's admitted now that she loves him, he loves her, you love me" he moved in for a third time and she didn't stop him this time "and I definitely love you" he completed, kissing her soundly only to be interrupted by the phone ringing.

He swore as Chloe pulled away to answer the phone.

"Whoever that is, I'm going to kill them" Lex said seriously, even though Chloe knew he was joking - at least she hoped he was.

"Hello, Sullivan house, Chloe speaking" the blonde said into the receiver, "Oh, hey Clark how are you feeling?"

Lex sat bolt upright and watched Chloe's expression as she talked to her other 'boyfriend' on the phone.

"Sure, I can come right now, I kind of need to talk to you too. Okay then, bye"

"What did he say?" Lex asked as Chloe put down the phone. She opened her mouth to speak but a high pitched sound stopped her from saying a word. Lex dug into his pocket and produced the noisy culprit - his cell phone.

"Lex Luthor" he said, taking the call, "Oh, hi Clark"

Chloe's eyes went wide and stayed that way as her two 'boyfriends' talked. Finally when Lex hung up the phone she asked what he'd said to him.

"Did Clark ask you to come straight to the farm?" he checked and the blonde nodded in response.

"Apparently I need to be there too" he told her, putting the phone back in his jacket pocket.

"Do you think he knows?" Chloe asked him, but Lex shook his head.

"How could he?" he reasoned, "the only other person who knows is Lana and he told me to bring her too."

"Well then" Chloe sighed, "I guess this is it"

* * * * * 

"Clark?" Martha called to her son and found him on the phone in the hallway, "Were you calling Chloe?"

"Er, yeah" he nodded, "and Lex too. I invited them both and Lana to come over, I need to talk to them all"

"Is something wrong son" Jonathan asked, appearing next to his wife.

"Sort of, yes" Clark admitted, moving into the kitchen and sitting at the table. His parents followed and sat opposite him.

"The thing is" Clark started, "I'm not in love with Chloe, I don't think I ever really was. I do love her, but as a friend, the only person I'm in love with is Lana"

"But isn't Lana dating Lex now?" Jonathan asked, still reeling from that development.

"Yes" his son nodded, "but I think it's only fair that the three of them know the truth. I can't lead Chloe on, it's not fair and the whole accident and everything has showed me that life is fragile - even mine. I don't want anything to happen and Lana not know that I'm in love with her"

"You've thought about this a lot haven't you?" said Martha with a smile and Clark nodded that he had.

"Well, I'm proud of you Clark for wanting to be honest with your friends"

"Yes" Jonathan agreed, "but you do know there's still one thing that you can't be honest about"

Clark knew what his father meant and decided it was about time he told him and his mother a truth he had been concealing.

"Dad, I don't think that's going to be a problem anymore. I don't think I have my abilities now"

"What do you mean?" Martha asked, looking worried.

"I mean, I just don't have them anymore. I felt different after the accident, more weak and tired, so when I got home I tested it. I tried to lift the tractor in the barn and I couldn't, not even a little bit. I tried to see through the wall and nothing happened. I even ran as fast as I could and found it took me almost two minutes to get from the barn to the house. I use to do that in seconds and I was never out of breath"

"Maybe it's temporary" Jonathan suggested, "maybe they'll come back as your body heals" 

"My body has healed" Clark protested, "there's no cut on my head anymore, but I have no abilities" he explained again, "I'm just...normal"

A/N : If you've read all this, please leave a review - I really appreciate your comments.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N : I know it's been ages since I updated this fic, but I kind of got sucked into the Buffyverse for a while and all my concentration was on my two Buffy fics (which you might want to go and read if you like Buffy!). Anyway, I've finally found the motivation to finish off this fic so, here is chapter 18. Thanx to everyone who reviewed chapter 17; everYours, Akemi Akibi, goldengirl04, Queen of Tact, elswt, trory-goddess, alecsgrl. Here's the new chapter...

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 18

Chloe and Lex were on their way to pick up Lana before going to the farm. Lex had called her immediately and told her what was going on. She was nervous about visiting Clark and telling him the truth but she knew it was time. She did want him to know how she felt but it concerned her that he might have real feelings for Chloe and he was just going to be hurt when he found out Chloe and Lex were in love.

Chloe was equally as nervous and she told Lex as much as they drove to the Potter/Lang residence. He was as worried as she was but he would never admit it.

"It'll be fine Chloe, so long as everyone is honest about everything, it'll be fine"

"I guess you're right" she conceded, glancing out of the passenger window and then back at Lex as he drove.

"So, when we get to Lana's do you want me to sit in the back?"

"Why would you do that?" he asked, glancing over at her and than back at the road.

"Well, as far as Clark is concerned she's still your girlfriend, surely she should sit in the front of your car, but then maybe that looks like we're trying to over for something and it's not really being honest..." she continued to ramble until Lex cut her off.

"Chloe, calm down. I don't think where you sit in the car is going to make any difference"

She sighed deeply.

"You're right" she admitted.

"Twice in as many minutes?" he chuckled, "You must really be in love, reporter girl"

"I thought you already knew I was, rich boy" she countered with a smile, as they arrived outside Lana's house. The girl emerged immediately and Lex being the gentleman he was got out and opened the back door of the car for her.

"Thanks" she said quietly, getting in and exchanging quick smiles with Chloe. They hadn't seen each other since the hospital and the smile spoke volumes - they could move on and be friends now, as soon as everything was sorted out with Clark.

"Well, here we go" said Lex, having got back in the car. He started the engine and the car sped off toward the Kent farm.

"What do you mean 'normal'?" Jonathan asked his son, clearly worried by what his son was telling him.

"I mean, normal" Clark repeated, not knowing how else to explain it, "Just me without abilities"

"How do you know what that's like?" Martha shook her head, unable to take in what she was hearing, "I mean, you were born with abilities, they can't just disappear"

"But they have" her son insisted, "and I'm not really sorry"

Neither of his parents spoke, they just looked at each other and then at Clark, trying desperately to make sense of it all.

"Look" Clark sighed, "I always wanted to be like everyone else, I never asked to be different. Now I'm not so different anymore. I know I can't change where I'm really from or whatever, but I'm no different to any other human being now and I like that I don't have to try and hide anymore. What you see now, is me, it's Clark and nothing else"

His parents did not look convinced, and it was driving Clark crazy. He was mostly happy about the change he'd gone through, It meant no more secrets and no more lies. He could be completely honest with his friends and with Lana and not have to worry about what they might think of him.

A squeal of tyres caught the family's attention and Clark saw Lex's car pull up outside as he glanced out through the window.

"Can we talk about this later?" he asked, "I need to talk to my friends now"

"What are you going to tell them son?" Jonathan checked, as he stood up, Martha at his side.

"Nothing about my origins or my abilities" he promised as he moved toward the door "Don't worry, Dad" he smiled, heading outside to meet his friends.

"Jonathan" Martha got her husbands attention, "Could you take me into town?"

"Now?" he asked, shocked that she would suggest it.

"Yes, now" she said calmly, "I think we should leave those four to it, I mean it's okay, I know Clark won't say anything he shouldn't, but they might need some space"

Mr Kent looked thoughtful as Clark re-entered the room, Lex, Lana and Chloe following behind him.

"Er, afternoon kids" he greeted and they all half smiled at their friends parents, "Clark" he continued, turning to his son, "your mother and I are going into town"

Clark smiled and nodded, knowing his parents trusted him and that they were going to give him and his friends some much needed space to sort everything out. 

It was going to be a long, and awkward, afternoon for everyone.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N : Thanx to everyone who has read and reviewed this story and I'm sorry for the recent delays, but here now, for anyone still interested, is the final two chapters. Enjoy.

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 19

The four young people sat one at each side of the table in the kitchen of the Kent farm house. Clark was opposite Lex with Chloe to his left and Lana to his right, all of them trying not to look at each other and no-one willing to be the first to speak. Clark finally decided he should probably speak up, given that it was his house and he had invited his friends over in the first place.

"So" he began, "I need to talk to you guys and it's pretty important"

"Well, you know you can tell us anything Clark" Lana smiled, making him feel worse about his upcoming confession.

"Well, the truth is..." he turned to Chloe and picked her hand up off of the table, "Chloe, I'm not in love with you"

A deep sigh came from the blonde and a smile broke out on her face, shocking the young Kent.

"You have no idea how glad I am that you said that" she smiled as Lex let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"About as glad as I am I guess" the young Luthor grinned and Clark glanced between the two of them with a suspicious frown.

"Did I miss something?"

Lex and Chloe shared a glance and she nodded that he should explain.

"Clark, for a long time now I've had feelings for Chloe..."

"You never told me" the boy interrupted and Lex smiled.

"What would you have said if I'd told you?" he asked, "I didn't think she could ever like me like that because she seemed so hung up on you and I didn't know if you'd approve anyway so I didn't say anything, but things changed..."

Clark continued to look surprised as Chloe squeezed his hand and added to the explanation Lex had started.

"Clark I love you very much, but I started to realise these last few days that that's not the same as being in love. That became especially clear the closer I got to Lex...I'm in love with him" she told Clark although she looked at Lex when she said it and he smiled at her.

Lana, who had remained silent this whole time, now became the centre of attention as all eyes turned to her.

"So, you and Lex are over?" Clark asked her and she nodded mutely, tears forming in her eyes and she hoped against hope she stood a chance of getting the farmboy to love her again.

Clark shook his head, trying to clear the fog that seemed to form inside of it.

"I don't know what to say" he frowned.

"Clark, I know it's weird" Chloe began, "I mean one minute I'm mooning over you and the next I'm in love with your best friend, and believe me I couldn't have planned this, but it's happened and I hope you're not mad"

"I'm not mad" he said quickly, it was important she didn't feel guilty. He had been so tempted to kiss Lana in Metropolis, he could hardly blame Chloe and Lex for having feelings for each other. Their announcement had actually made some of his confession easier, knowing now that Chloe wasn't upset about being effectively dumped and that Lana was now single.

"I'm happy for you" he smiled finally, "I only want my friends to be happy"

"I'll be happy with this woman in my life" Lex admitted, taking Chloe's hand that Clark had recently released, "I couldn't be anything else"

Chloe smiled, before suddenly having a thought.

"Clark, if you just wanted to tell me that we were over and you didn't know about me and Lex, why did you ask him and Lana to come here too? Because this could have been really embarrassing"

"Oh" Clark suddenly realised that in the confusion he'd forgotten the rest of his 'announcement', "I had something else to say..." he trailed off looking over at Lana and a smile spread over Lex's face. He glanced at Chloe and saw a similar smile on her features.

"I think we should leave these two alone" the young billionaire stood up, pulling Chloe up with him and the pair headed for the door.

"Thanks guys" Clark said as they left before turning back to a very nervous looking Lana.

Outside, Lex and Chloe walked hand in hand toward his car.

"Well, that went better than I thought" she sighed as they reached the car and she leaned her back against it.

"Yeah" he nodded, "but you do realise we've just done a girlfriend swap, that's kind of disturbing"

Chloe giggled, as she thought about it.

"It is kind of strange" she admitted, looking up at the man in front of her, "But I'm happy"

"Me too" he nodded, leaning down, "And no offence to Lana but I think I got the better deal" he smiled before kissing her soundly.

"You're too kind, Mr Luthor" she smiled as the pulled apart a little, "but with no offence to Clark, me too"

They kissed again, holding each other close, and then Lex had a thought.

"If Lana is here and your Dad should be at work, isn't your house empty?" he whispered.

"Maybe" Chloe teased, "but we can't go anywhere, we have to wait for Lana"

"Are you serious?" Lex frowned, "Do you not remember what those to are like when they try to talk to each other, nevermind admitting feelings? It could be dark before we get to leave!"

"That's okay" Chloe smiled, moving in even closer to him, "I know a lot of fun things to do in the dark"

A/N : Chapter 20 is already here.....


	20. Chapter 20

A/N : The final chapter...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 20

The Kent farmhouse was silent despite the fact in contained two teenagers. Clark and Lana sat by the kitchen table, both so full of feelings they wanted to admit and neither knowing how to say it to the other.

"Lana" Clark said finally, "There was a reason why I realised I wasn't in love with Chloe"

She glanced up at him with wide eyes, hoping against hope was going to make the confession that she so desperately wanted to hear.

"When we were in Metropolis, well before that" he amended, "I thought I liked you, I was sure I did but you were with Whitney and I couldn't compete with someone like him, anyway I gave up I suppose, told myself I didn't like you and asked out Chloe as a way of moving on but...I couldn't stop liking you"

She smiled at him as tears came to her eyes.

"Clark, do you know why I ended up with Lex the night of the Spring Formal?"

"I don't know" he admitted, it was something he had wondered about but he had never spent too long thinking about his best friend and the girl he had unsure feelings about lest he fall for Lana all over again and cause problems amongst his friends, of course it didn't matter now since it had all happened anyway.

"I'd just dropped Whitney off at the bus station" the girl began, her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap and her eyes glancing between them and Clark, "I went back to the Talon and I was upset, not truly about him leaving, although I was going to miss him, I do miss him, but mostly I was crying because I felt guilty"

"Guilty?" Clark, as usual, didn't understand.

"Yes, because I knew I should feel really bad about Whitney leaving, but I didn't, I felt bad mostly because..." her voice wavered, "because you took Chloe to the dance"

Clark now understood, Lana did like him, just the way he liked her, but there was one thing still puzzling him.

"Where does Lex fit into this?" he asked her.

"He found me in the Talon when I was upset" she explained, "He wasn't so happy himself for the same reason as me even though I didn't know it then, he liked Chloe. We were both upset and we needed comfort so we found it in each other" she sighed "For a while I convinced myself I could love him, I guess he did the same but it stated to get obvious, especially in Metropolis that I just loved you too much"

She glanced up into his eyes as she realised she'd finally said it, she'd admitted at last that she loved Clark. He smiled as he realised it too.

"I love you too Lana, I always have" he told her, leaning forward as she did the same.

Outside Lex still had Chloe pressed up against the car and they were kissing with some passion. He moved from her mouth to plant kisses down her neck and Chloe tilted her head as her eyes flickered open for a second. Her eyes caught on movement inside the house.

"Hey Lex" she tried to get his attention away from her body and onto her voice, but she received nothing more than a mumble in response.

"Lex would you stop for two seconds" she said pushing him away a little. He did as he was told but looked at her somewhat wounded and Chloe felt bad.

"I'm sorry" she smiled, "but just look" she pointed towards the house and the through the screen door where Lex saw just what had caught his girlfriends attention.

"Well it's about time" the young billionaire smiled as he caught sight of Clark and Lana kissing almost as heatedly as he and Chloe had been a few moments before.

"Yeah" Chloe agreed, "Although I hardly think we are good examples of speedy love admissions" she grinned, "I thought I was in love with Clark and you thought you loved Lana"

"No" Lex shook his head as he looked back at the blonde beside him, "I never thought I was in love with Lana" he told her, wrapping his arms around her again and lowering his head until their lips were just inches apart, "I always knew, there was only ever one woman for me" he moved to kiss her but she moved her head away with a playful smile.

"Tell me about this perfect woman for you" she said, causing him to laugh lightly.

"Well" he sighed, giving up on the kissing for a moment, "she's smart and beautiful and intelligent and sexy and right in front of me, like she has been the whole time" he smiled, "Even when I was too stupid to notice it"

Chloe smiled too, not wanting to bother with the game she had started anymore. She brought her head up til her lips met his and they shared another searing kiss.

"Er guys"

They broke away at the sound of Clark's voice - a very unwelcome interruption. They turned to see both Clark and Lana, holding hands and smiling like idiots.

"We wanted to tell you something" Clark grinned, "If you're not to busy"

"Go ahead Clark" Chloe nodded, "Unless this is the 'I love Lana' speech, because I think I may have heard that one a couple of times before"

Lana and Lex smiled too as Clark just went pink with embarrassment.

"I'm guessing she's right from the looks on your faces" said Lex and Clark and Lana both nodded, "also the display we saw through the window was kind of a clue" he added with a smirk and Chloe hit him playfully in the chest as her two friends went as red as ripe tomatoes.

"I think you two should be the last ones to judge public displays of affection" Lana said bravely, "after what we saw out here"

Chloe had the good grace to blush a little too at that but even that comment couldn't not bring colour to a Luthors cheeks, he made sure of it.

"How about we stop embarrassing each other and enjoy the fact that we're all happily with the right people now. I suggest a trip to the Talon, and since Lana and I own it, the coffee is free"

"Sounds good to me" Chloe agreed, "I'm gonna die if I don't get a caffeine fix soon"

The group all laughed as they climbed into the car and Lex drove towards the town. It was great having the gang together, all happy and comfortable with each other. Clark felt particularly relaxed, knowing that he wasn't keeping secrets from them anymore either. He had no powers to tell them about anymore so he didn't have to lie. He would get on with being a regular teenage boy with a wonderful girlfriend and fantastic friends. 

Maybe one day the powers would come back, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it. As for the whole 'falling to earth in a space craft' thing, well, he'd get to that eventually, but right now he was content just to be here with his friends, all happy and all together.

A/N : The End! Reviews are always welcome, thanx for reading.


End file.
